Drainage issues haunt Chennai residents

Over 500 residents staying in low-lying colonies of Velachery such as Mosque colony and Car-truck Street where water levels reached alarming levels, have still not returned to their houses as sewage and rainwater combine has left a deep stench in the vicinity forcing them to stay away from their homes.

According to metro water, maximum complaints of more than 400 were received on November 16 and 17. More than 80 per cent of the complaints were on sewage overflow. The agency said the number of complaints had reduced considerably since then.

Over 70 per cent complaints were from northern parts of Chennai as compared to other areas. “The most affected in this area are people like us who stay at the ground floor as water has entered our kitchens and bedrooms,” said S. Fakrudheen Moideen, a 65-year old mechanic of Mosque colony.

Maintaining that they were working round-the-clock to bring the situation under control, metro water and Chennai corporation officials appealed to the public to be calm and advised them to use only boiled water for drinking.

Sewage contamination can lead to water-borne diseases, said a corporation official.

However, with rainwater mixed with sewage stagnating at different points in areas like Annai Sathya Nagar, Sidco Nagar in Villivakkam and Choolai Thattankulam near Purasawalkam, life has become miserable for over 2000 families. They fear that contamination will affect their drinking water sources.

“In my area, six children were admitted to hospital today due to dysentery caused by consumption of unclean drinking water,” said R.D. Prabhu, a social worker of Choolai Thattankulam.