Wed Sep 24 10:24:12 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a news article based on the provided text:

**Headline: Congress Protests Water Quality in Puducherry, Cites Government “Failure”**

**PUDUCHERRY, September 24, 2025** – Former Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy led a protest by Congress leaders and functionaries in front of Raj Nivas, Puducherry, on Wednesday, accusing the AINRC-BJP government of failing to provide residents with potable drinking water.

The protesters, gathering near the main gate of Raj Nivas around 1 p.m., staged a sit-in demonstration. Narayanasamy threatened an indefinite protest unless the government committed to supplying clean, piped water to the Union Territory’s residents.

Police, led by Senior Superintendent of Police Kalaivanan, initially attempted to negotiate with Narayanasamy, offering a meeting with Public Works Department (PWD) officials. However, the former Chief Minister insisted on the presence of Chief Minister N. Rangasamy or PWD Minister K. Lakshminarayanan to address the issue directly.

Following the arrival of more Congress workers and escalating slogans against the government, Lieutenant Governor K. Kailashnathan invited the protest leaders for talks. Narayanasamy, after initially declining, eventually accepted the invitation.

After the meeting, Narayanasamy told reporters that the Lt. Governor assured him of improved coordination between the PWD and Local Administration Departments to prevent the contamination of drinking water due to uncoordinated pipeline work.

The former Chief Minister stated that drinking water quality had deteriorated significantly in several areas, leading to hospitalizations due to health issues. He criticized the government’s inaction despite available Central government funding, alleging that while the Prime Minister is focused on providing clean water, the Puducherry government is not.

The protest highlights growing concerns over water quality and infrastructure management in Puducherry, adding political pressure on the ruling AINRC-BJP coalition.

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