Sonbhadra (UP), February 23 Residents of the Sinduriya village in this district of Uttar Pradesh staged a protest, alleging delays and irregularities in the central government's piped water scheme, as well as worsening water scarcity.
A large number of residents held a "water fast" on the banks of the Son River on Sunday, accusing officials of negligence and corruption.
Surendra Yadav, a villager, said that the water crisis has intensified with the onset of summer, with hand pumps and borewells running dry, forcing people to fetch water from distant sources.
The residents expected piped water supply to every household under the government scheme this summer, but shortages had already emerged, he alleged.
The protesters claimed that roads were dug and pipelines were laid two to three years ago after surveys, but household taps have not yet been installed, forcing villagers to consume contaminated river water.
Ajay Kumar Pathak, a villager, alleged that officials were sending "misleading reports" to the authorities even as the water supply remained non-functional.
He also warned that the villagers would march to Lucknow if their demands were not met soon.
Arun Singh, executive engineer at the Uttar Pradesh Jal Nigam, said that water connections had been installed in about 90 per cent of the villages, while testing of some projects was underway, adding that normal supply would begin shortly.