The women residents of Doddagajanur village under the Thalavadi panchayat in Erode district staged a road blockade on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, demanding immediate supply of drinking water.More than 300 families live in the village. The residents said that drinking water had not been supplied for the past few months, forcing them to fetch water from nearby farms. With water sources in the farms also drying up, residents have been facing severe hardship. Despite several representations to the panchayat administration, no steps had been taken to address the problem, the residents alleged.Carrying empty pots, the women blocked the Doddagajanur-Susaipuram Road in the morning, disrupting traffic. Thalavadi Tahsildar Saravanan reached the spot and held talks with the protesters. He said the borewells in the area had dried up owing to lack of rain. Even newly drilled borewells had failed to yield water, he said.Mr. Saravanan assured the residents that arrangements would be made to supply drinking water through tanker lorries as an immediate measure. He also said steps would be taken to drill a new borewell and ensure regular drinking water supply at the earliest. The women withdrew the blockade after about an hour following this assurance. Published - August 25, 2026 07:30 pm IST