Tarun Karthick
Campbell Bay, 17 May 2023
The residents of the New Pahargaon area of Port Blair today staged a Chakka Jam to press for the supply of water in their area. The residents informed the media that water has not been supplied in the area for 12+ days.
The Chakka Jam was staged near the Sapna Theatre area. The residents informed that they will not allow the movement of vehicles until and unless water is supplied to all households in their area.
The Respective Executive Engineer of APWD reportedly visited the protest site and spoke to the protesting residents. The Executive Engineer reportedly assured the residents that multiple tankers will be dispatched to the area to provide water to the residents.
The residents demanded that the water should be supplied through the pipeline as the water being supplied by tankers is not equitably distributed to all households. The residents elaborated that the houses located inside the colonies are the worst sufferers as tankers supply water near the roads and not inside the colonies.
The residents vowed to open roads for the movement of vehicles only after the respective department arranges for the supply of water to all the households in their area.
The main Island of South Andaman District is undergoing the worst water crisis of all time. District Magistrate, South Andaman also ordered APWD and PBMC to use all water resources in the district and provide safe water to all residents equitably. An order was released by the DM in this regard under Section 34 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005 on 16th May 2023.