Karnal, Sept. 9 -- A day after industrialists met Haryana cabinet minister Anil Vij over slow water drainage in the Ambala Cantonment Industrial Area, the minister on Monday chaired a meeting following protests by locals that obstructed the installation of drainage pipes.

Vij said the drainage work had started at full pace, but a group of residents objected and blocked a section of the Ambala-Saha road (NH-444A) late on Sunday, fearing that pipes might waterlog their streets again, which had recently been cleared after being inundated by the Tangri river.

During the protest, some pipes were broken and other materials damaged, forcing officials to halt the work temporarily.

On Monday, Vij issued a circular and convened a meeting with he...