POLICE USED mild force to disperse hundreds of Banganga residents who spilled on to the streets today to protest acute water shortage and withdrawal of cases lodged during an earlier protest.
The protestors, many bearing empty earthen pots, held up traffic for nearly an hour and later attempted to march to Mayor Dr Uma Shashi Sharma’s residence. They were, however, stopped en route by the police who resorted to a cane charge to disperse the surging crowd.
Although nobody sustained serious injuries, Marimata Chowk, the scene of the lath charge, presented a surreal picture with fragments of pitchers and abandoned footwear strewn all around.
This is the second time in over a week that parched denizens have taken to the roads to demand regular water supply. Just last Monday, Banganga inhabitants, led by local corporator Sanjay Shukla, staged a demonstration and held a chakka jam in their area to protest paucity of water.
All Shukla got for his trouble was a criminal case and water supply only deteriorated further. Enraged, the residents decided to stage yet another demonstration, this time with an additional demand - that the case against their corporator be withdrawn.
{{/usCountry}}All Shukla got for his trouble was a criminal case and water supply only deteriorated further. Enraged, the residents decided to stage yet another demonstration, this time with an additional demand - that the case against their corporator be withdrawn.
{{/usCountry}}According to information over 300 hundred Banganga residents, including women holding aloft earthen pitchers, gathered at the main road and staged a chakka jam demanding regular water supply. After an hour the protestors decided to march to the mayoral residence at Raghuvanshi Nagar.
They were, however, stopped by the cops who first pushed them back with their lathis and later used mild force to scatter the surging crowds.
‘Protest not for water’Mayor-in-Council member in-charge of Waterworks Munnalal Yadav: Supply to Banganga was disrupted last week owing to a defective valve. The area receives water on alternate days and as the valve malfunctioned on the day it was Banganga’s turn to receive water the colony had to go without water for three days. The valve has since been replaced and normal supply restored. Today’s protest was basically to demand withdrawal of cases registered during last week’s chakka jam.