In an unusual and dramatic protest in Belpada block of Odisha’s Bolangir district, a youth entered the Block Development Officer’s (BDO) office carrying a bottle filled with dirty drain water to highlight the prolonged civic issue in his village.

The incident took place after repeated complaints regarding an overflowing and unclean drain in Dhumabhata village allegedly went unheard. According to reports, residents of the village have been facing severe inconvenience for a long time as the drain has not been cleaned or repaired, causing filthy water to overflow and enter nearby houses.

Locals alleged that the stagnant drain water has created unhygienic conditions in the area, with a foul smell making life difficult for residents. Despite several complaints made earlier to Belpada BDO Rajesh Meher, no concrete action had reportedly been taken to resolve the issue.

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Frustrated over the continued negligence, a youth identified as Sipun Khamari adopted an unusual method of protest. He collected the dirty drain water in a bottle and reached the BDO’s office, where he placed it on the officer’s table as a symbolic protest against the administration’s inaction.

The protest reportedly drew attention to the issue, following which BDO Rajesh Meher reportedly took immediate cognizance of the matter and directed the PEO to ensure that the drain is cleaned at the earliest.