AT Photo
Hailakandi, June 9: Large number of women ‘gheraoed’ the residence of Algapur MLA Nijam Uddin Choudhury protesting the non-supply of drinking water in Panchgram area of Hailakandi district in Assam on Thursday.
Agitating women threatened the MLA to provide water within 24 hours otherwise they will continue to stay at his residence. MLA Choudhury immediately contacted to the assistant executive engineer of Public Health Engineering department and reportedly didn't get satisfactory reply from the official.
An official of PHED informed that they are changing some components of machine and it would take some time to regularise the supply of water. Incidentally the residence of Hailakandi district president of BJP Swapan Bhattacharjee's residence is also situated at Panchgram.
MLA Choudhury also expressed serious concern over the issue and assured the agitating women that the problems of the scarcity of water will be sorted out soon.
The protesting women alleged that they are facing extreme difficulties due to the non-supply of drinking water from the last many years. They also criticized the role of local MLA Choudhury and alleged that no specific big water supply scheme has been undertaken for the respite of the plight of Panchgram locality.
Later hundreds of women gheraoed Panchgram Police Station and raised slogans demanding the supply of drinking water immediately.
BJP's district president Swapan Bhattacharjee informed that the problems of scarcity of drinking water will be solved soon as they have contacted the concerned department. He said that there is an issue with the APDCL and PHED and the supply of water will be regularised once the issues are settled. Similar water scarcity was also settled twice in Panchgram area, he added.