Residents of the Parandadi-Padegudde Janata Colony area in Neriya village, Dakshina Kannada, protested outside the Neriya Gram Panchayat office after alleging that drinking-water supply had been disrupted for 15 days. The protest ended after the Panchayat Development Officer (PDO) assured residents that supply would be restored soon.
The residents demanded that water be supplied by Monday evening and insisted that the PDO visit the location and provide an assurance. The protest was withdrawn after the officer arrived and promised to arrange drinking-water supply at the earliest, according to a report by Prajavani.
The disruption has placed the focus on the reliability of local water infrastructure serving the colony. Residents said the issue was not limited to the interruption in supply and also raised concerns about the condition of the drinking-water tank used by the area.
According to the residents, the tank contains a large quantity of soil and sludge and has not been cleaned for several years. They demanded that the authorities address the tank’s cleanliness along with restoring the water connection.
The sequence of events points to two immediate administrative tasks for the Gram Panchayat: restoring water supply to the affected area and inspecting and cleaning the storage facility. The residents’ demand for a site visit by the PDO also reflects their call for a direct response from the local authority rather than a temporary assurance.
The report does not specify the reason for the 15-day interruption, the number of households affected, the source of the water supply or the timeline for cleaning the tank. It also does not record whether an alternative water arrangement was made during the disruption.
The PDO’s assurance that drinking-water supply would be provided soon is the immediate next step recorded after the protest. Residents have also called for attention to the tank’s long-term maintenance.
