Excelsior Correspondent KATHUA, Dec 24: The people held protest demonstration against the water crisis at Pachoke Chak, Tareli, Kootah and several other villages of the area. The people alleged that at least 18 pumping stations were lying defunct for the last more than one month and the people have been left to suffer. When the people were staging protest on main road to the tehsil headquarter, the police resorted to mild lathi-charge on the agitating people. The people got more agitated over the police action and then intensified their protest and raised slogans against the SHO Hiranagar and police. Later, Tehsildar Hiranagar reached there and pacified the people. The people alleged that concerned PHE officials have turned deaf ear towards their plight while many water stations were lying defunct since long. They said people from Sube Chak, Chhan Khatreyan, Tanyal etc are facing lot of crisis.