Villagers block NH-57 in Nayagarh over drinking water crisis, traffic disrupted for hours

Residents of Sariganda village under Dasapalla block in Odisha’s Nayagarh district staged a road blockade on Monday, protesting against an acute shortage of drinking water in their area. The villagers blocked the Khordha–Bolangir National Highway (NH-57) by placing pots and water containers on the road, bringing vehicular movement to a standstill for several hours.

Hundreds of men and women participated in the agitation, demanding immediate intervention to resolve the long-pending water crisis. The protesters alleged that despite repeatedly approaching administrative officials, including the district collector and block authorities, no effective steps had been taken so far.

According to the villagers, the shortage of drinking water has persisted for over a month, forcing families to rely on unsafe pond water for daily needs. They claimed the situation has had serious health implications, particularly for children and elderly residents.

A villager said they had informed the district collector and the block development officer on multiple occasions but received no response. “We have not had access to safe drinking water for the last month. Since no action was taken, we were left with no option but to block the highway,” he said.

Echoing similar concerns, a local woman said families were compelled to use pond water for cooking and drinking, leading to illness among children. “Our children are falling sick, yet our problems are being ignored,” she said.

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The villagers warned that the protest would be intensified if the administration failed to provide immediate relief. However, no official response from the district administration was available at the time of filing this report.

The protest has once again highlighted the growing drinking water crisis in rural areas of Nayagarh district, raising concerns over access to basic amenities in remote villages.