At a time when Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik was dedicating 100 urban drinking water supply projects at the State Secretariat, women observed a 12-hour Redhakhol bandh demanding piped water supply to their locality from the Mahanadi.
Normal life was paralysed in response to the bandh called by the Maa laxmi Pratibesi Mahila Committee. Business establishments, schools and colleges were closed while vehicle movement was disrupted due to the bandh call.
“We are facing drinking water problem every year. Nobody listens to us. We demand that piped drinking water be supplied to our area directly from the Mahanadi river,” said an agitating woman.