Bhubaneswar, Feb. 2 -- Villagers staged a road blockade near Matiali Chhak in Nilagiri block of Odisha's Balasore district on Monday, protesting an acute shortage of drinking water even before the onset of the summer season.

To draw the attention of the authorities, local residents placed pots, buckets, and other water containers across the road, alleging that the area has been facing recurring water scarcity for a long time. The protest highlighted concerns that despite the launch of a mega drinking water project, water supply in the locality remains irregular and unreliable.

Residents alleged that water is supplied only intermittently and that no permanent solution has been implemented to address the problem. They said the situation h...