DYFI stages protest against privatisation of drinking water supply in Salem Corporation

Cadre of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) on Monday (July 27, 2026) staged a road roko and dharna demanding the Salem Corporation to cancel the tender provided to a private company for drinking water supply.

In order to supply drinking water 24×7, the Salem Corporation awarded a tender worth ₹4,315 crore to a private company, for 25 years, in February 2026. Since the beginning, majority of the political parties opposed this move and had staged various protests. In a council meeting held on June 29, Mayor A. Ramachandran announced that the tender provided to a private company was cancelled. 

However, the State government clarified that it revised the administrative sanction to ₹1,035.61 crore for the project. An agreement was signed on June 19, 2026, between the private company and the Salem Corporation Commissioner at the secretariat, and the 24×7 drinking water supply scheme will be maintained for the next 25 years by the private company at a cost of ₹3,259.73 crore.

On Monday, more than 50 cadre of DYFI rallied to the Salem Corporation Main Office and staged a road roko before the Rajaji statue. When the police tried to arrest them, the protesters entered the Salem Corporation office and staged a sit-in protest at the entrance. The police came to the spot, held talks with the protesters and later arrested them, and lodged them in a marriage hall. 

Speaking to the reporters, DYFI State executive member Dinesh Raja said the Corporation should cancel the tender awarded to the private company. “The private company should not start the works. If they do so, DYFI will protest again,” Mr. Raja added.