Agra: In a dramatic protest against prolonged waterlogging, social activist Savitri Chahar in Agra’s Mankheda village staged a “jal samadhi” (water sit-in), sitting in stagnant, filthy water for over seven hours. Her demand: immediate drainage of the three foot deep water that's been collecting in front of the village primary school for more than 15 days.
Chahar, supported by local villagers, accused the pradhan Rajveer Singh Chahar and Block Development Officer (BDO) Virendra Singh Chaudhary of ignoring repeated complaints. “I requested they install a pump to remove the water. The BDO told me to talk to the pradhan instead,” she said.
The water, stagnant since the first monsoon rains on June 17, has turned green with algae and poses a direct risk to schoolchildren who resumed classes on July 1. Chahar had earlier held a dharna protest, but claimed no officials responded despite a prior warning.
“I won’t leave the water until this is resolved,” she declared while sitting waist deep in the dirty puddle. Officials later claimed a pump was installed, but Chahar insisted she would not come out until the area is fully drained. Villagers echoed her frustration, calling it a failure of basic governance.
