The shortage of potable water on Tuesday forced residents to stage a protest, drawing attention to the worsening crisis while local office-bearers of the CPM warned that they would gherao district officials if the issue is not resolved at the earliest.
The residents of Municipal Ward 7 staged a dharna outside the local office of the Public Health Department, against scarcity of drinking water in their areas. The protesters demanded immediate restoration of regular and clean potable water supply.
The demonstration was led by Municipal Councillor Kapil Nagpal, who claimed that the situation had caused severe hardship to the residents, particularly during the ongoing heatwave.
“Residents of Quila Mohalla, Salara Mohalla, Para Mohalla, Julaha Chowk and Arjun Gali are forced either to fetch water from distant areas or purchase it to meet their daily needs, as there has been no water supply for the past five to six days,” Nagpal said.
He further stated that the residents of Sai Dass Colony, Guru Nanak Colony, Tej Colony and the Gohana Road area were receiving dirty and unsafe water. “We have even brought samples of contaminated water to show the officials. It is the responsibility of the department to ensure clean drinking water to every household,” he added.
Meanwhile, the district unit of the CPM has warned of intensified protests if the issue is not resolved.
The party district secretary Satbir Singh and Rohtak city in-charge Dr Jagmati Sangwan, said the drinking water crisis in Rohtak city was worsening with rising temperature, and the supply was very irregular and inadequate. According to the party, water is being supplied for barely half an hour, and that too is often unfit for consumption.
“The administration and elected representatives must jointly prepare a long-term solution instead of issuing routine assurances. If immediate steps are not taken, the party will mobilise public support and, along with other opposition and civic groups, resort to gherao of administrative offices as done in the previous year,” they added.
