By TC News Desk
Agartala, 27th October 2025: A prolonged water crisis in Kanchanmala’s Ward No. 1 has triggered public outrage, with residents accusing authorities of negligence and misuse of public resources. On Monday afternoon, a visibly agitated local youth Tutan Biswas voiced his frustration to the media personnel highlighting the community’s six-month struggle without access to clean drinking water.
The issue centers around a water pump installed years back near the residence of Pabitra Sarkar in Ward No. 1 under the Golaghati assembly constituency. Although a filtration system was added under the Jal Jeevan Mission to ensure potable water, residents allege that the filter has never been activated. As a result, the pump often dispenses reddish water for hours each morning, a daily ordeal for locals.
The crisis extends to Ward No. 2, where families near Kanchanmala SB School, including the Biswas household, report that the pump has failed to supply any water for the past six months. Despite repeated complaints to pump operator Rajib Sarkar and officials from the Drinking Water and Sanitation (DWS) department, residents claim no remedial action has been taken.
“This pump is our only source of drinking water. For six months, we’ve been left to suffer,” said Toton Biswas, demanding immediate intervention. He further alleged that Pabitra Sarkar, the landowner where the pump is situated, has been diverting the water for irrigation of his paddy fields, ignoring the plight of the surrounding community.
In a stern warning, Biswas declared that if water supply is not restored within the next two days, residents will stage a protest by hanging symbolic messages on the pump — a sign of their desperation and demand for accountability.
The situation highlights growing concerns over infrastructure mismanagement and the urgent need for responsive governance in rural water supply systems.
