Residents of Kadur village in Rattihalli taluk, Haveri district, tied a cow inside the room of the Panchayat Development Officer (PDO) on Thursday to protest what they said was a drinking-water crisis that has continued for three to four years.
The villagers entered the Kadur Gram Panchayat office in the morning, surrounded the building and confronted the PDO and the secretary over the lack of regular water supply, according to a report by Prajavani. They tied the cow in front of the officials’ chairs and placed fodder nearby as part of the protest.
The residents said they had submitted several petitions seeking a solution to the water shortage but claimed that no effective action had followed. They said the protest was intended to draw attention to the prolonged failure to provide drinking water in the village.
“There has been a water problem for three to four years. We have submitted several petitions requesting that it be resolved, but no solution has been provided. That is why we tied the cow inside the office,” the villagers said, according to the report.
Residents also alleged that the PDO used abusive language while questioning them about the protest. The allegation could not be independently confirmed in the report. The PDO was not available for comment when Prajavani sought a response.
The protesters said residents were being forced to walk several kilometres from their homes every day to collect water. They said women and children were bearing much of the burden, with fetching water becoming a daily responsibility for them.
The villagers said they had begun a broader agitation over the issue and would not remove the cow from the office until the authorities ensured water supply. The protest therefore focused not only on the immediate shortage but also on the functioning of the local administration responsible for responding to basic civic needs.
The incident highlights the pressure that prolonged water shortages can place on Gram Panchayat offices, particularly when repeated complaints do not result in a visible administrative response. In this case, the residents linked the disruption directly to the absence of a dependable drinking-water arrangement and the burden placed on households.
The report did not specify the source of the village’s water supply, the number of affected households, the reasons for the disruption, or whether tanker supply, borewell repairs or another interim arrangement had been initiated. It also did not record a response from the Rattihalli taluk administration or other district officials.
The immediate next step remains an official response to the residents’ demand and clarification from the Panchayat Development Officer and higher authorities on measures proposed to restore regular drinking-water supply in Kadur.
