Hundreds of residents, mostly women and their wards, observed a fast at Lakshmipuram demanding that digging of an open well on a private land near Kombaiyaru to irrigate more than 200 acres at distant places should be stopped immediately.
They observed the fast after failure of peace talks held between revenue officials and villagers on Tuesday evening. The officials assured to implement a separate drinking water scheme for the village, if they shared 30% of the project cost. When a leading farmer assured to contribute the public share, they refused to accept it and walked out of the meeting.
On Tuesday, they tried to enter in to the private farm and lay a siege to the private well. The police arrested them. Local traders and shopkeepers downed their shutter in support of local people.
Former panchayat president Jayabal said it was the second well under construction. They had already dug one well to draw water every day to irrigate several acres of land. He alleged the first well was irrigating a large tracts of lands owned by a prominent politician and his friends. The wells were within 200 metres from a stream in violation of court orders. The groundwater table had gone below the pumping level, he added.
Residents also picketed Periyakulam-Dindigul Highway demanding the closure of an open well on a private farm on June 22 and 23.