Villagers stage ‘jal satyagraha’ flagging water crisis in Uttar Pradesh’s Sonbhadra

The residents of Sinduriya village in this Uttar Pradesh district staged a protest alleging delay and irregularities in the Centre’s tap water scheme and worsening drinking water scarcity.

A large number of residents held a ‘jal satyagraha’ on the banks of the Son River on Sunday (February 22, 2026), accusing officials of negligence and corruption.

Surendra Yadav, a villager, said the water crisis has intensified with the onset of summer, with handpumps 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 surfaced, he alleged.

The protesters claimed that roads were dug and pipelines were laid two-three years ago after surveys, but household taps are yet to be 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 water connections had been installed in about 90% of the villages, while testing of some projects was underway, adding that normal supply would begin shortly.