Chennai: A Public Interest Litigation has been filed in the Madras high court to direct the authorities to complete the preparation of Detailed Project Report for providing underground sewerage scheme to Madipakkam area and undertake and complete the drainage work on time bound manner.
A division bench comprising Justices S.Manikumar and Subramonium Prasad before whom the PIL filed by P.Ayyamperumal of Madipakkam, came up for hearing, directed G.Janakiraman, counsel for Chennai Metro Water Supply and Sewerage Board, to get instruction on the prayer and posted to tomorrow, further hearing of the case.
According to petitioner, during 2011 Madipakkam area was merged with Chennai Corporation. The expansion was done with the purpose of increasing revenue and to provide better amenities. Due to growth of IT companies in OMR and railway station there were so many high and low raising apartments in Madipakkam. Despite such unexpected development, basic amenities such as drainage and sewerage system, roads, storm water drainage were yet to be provided to this area. On account of non-availability of drainage and sewerage facilities, the Cesspools have been used by all the houses and apartments. Due to the crowd of population, Cesspools get overflowed frequently and such drainage water was either let out to the open public road or nearby vacant land. It spreads diseases like jaundice, malaria, hepatitis, dengue etc. The Cesspool also contaminates the underground water making unpotable, he added.
He said Sholinganallur MLA S.Arvindramesh while canvassing for his candidature during election campaign in 2016, promised to the electorate of Madipakkam that he would provide underground sewerage facility on winning his election. But he too did not put any effort to bring drainage facility as promised. On his RTI query, the CMWSSB informed that the preparation of Detailed Project Report for providing underground sewerage scheme to Madipakkam was under progress and after completion of DPR, the project will be undertaken. Not satisfied with the information, he sent a representation to the authorities requesting them to undertake the drainage work immediately. The CMWSSB in its response stated that after completion of DPR and after availing funds for implementation of the scheme, tender will be called for to take up the work. The reply did not specify any time period to start and complete the drainage work. Therefore, he filed the present petition, he added.
