Colourful plastic pots arranged across the roads are not uncommon sights nowadays at the Fort City. Such decorations are not part of any beautification drive but have a grim tale to tell. These are the road block agents employed by public, mostly women, to stage ‘road roko’ demanding proper supply of water to their respective areas.
Lack of water supply notwithstanding, there is a plethora of problems that has forced these women to come out on the streets, breaking conventions and braving the hot sun, and squat on hot tar-roads.
As Vellore Corporation councillors continue to accuse opposition party cadre and losing candidates in the local body elections to be instigating the public to agitate, some councillors themselves lead such protests irrespective of the parties they belong to.
At least 10 protests, road rokos and picketing Corporation Zonal offices, have taken place in Saidapet, Kosapet and Salavanpet this week alone. Every protest follows a definite pattern. Residents lay siege to the roads with police reaching the spot immediately, shortly followed by the corporation officials, who, after much argument and cajoling, pacify the crowd with assurances. “We receive tractor water during the protest day, but we will have to hold protest again for the next turn of tractor water,” says Kavitha, resident of Saidapet, who complains that she has to take leave from her office at least once a week for every road roko. On a lighter vein, Gomathy of Saidapet says that by repeated confrontation with the police, protestors have come to know some women police personnel with whom they discuss their problems. Vellore Corporation Engineer E Devakumar says that public can directly approach them to register grievances rather than holding road rokos. “People should understand that water table has gone down and they should use water minimally,” he says, adding, “People think that if they protest, they would get extra water.”
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