CHENNAI: Following the on-going sewage lorry strike, residents along OMR, ECR and surrounding areas can book sewage tankers from Metro Water through their helpline number 4567 4567 from today. Sewage tankers from 12 other zones have been directed to affected zones of Perungudi and Shollinganallur till the strike ends said officials.
A total of 34 sewage tankers have been re-routed from inner city areas by Metro Water and is being operated in the affected areas of, Okkiyam Thoraipakkam, Madipakkam, Neelangarai, Semmencheri and surrounding areas said an official press release from the board.
Out of this, 25 super sucker tankers with a capacity of 9,000 litres and nine sewage tankers with a capacity of 6,000 litres are functioning to help the public overcome this crisis. Though close to 1,500 private sewage tankers operate on these stretches normally, Metro Water officials remain confident that 30-odd tankers are sufficient to cater to 15 lakh residents who are dependent on private tankers. “The pumping station is located close-by to the areas affected by strike. So the current number of tankers on hand can easily match the requirement. Also most multi-storeyed clean their septic tanks only once in a month,” said an official.
Previously, people had to call the Metro Water office in their respective zones to book a sewage or water tanker. Till the strike comes to an end, officials said residents can directly book tankers through the common helpline. Currently, the board charges Rs 650 to clear one load of sewage.
Private sewage tankers plying to southern parts of Chennai went on an indefinite since Monday afternoon, opposing Metro Water Board’s decision to increase the price for the discharge of one load of sewage from Rs 100 to 250 in the Perungudi treatment plant.
This plant is the sole main point of discharge for these tankers, which collect sewage from hotels, multi-storeyed apartment complexes and households from Tambaram, Guduvancherry, Medavakkam, Jaladarampet and along the OMR and ECR stretches. For the past ten years, each tanker carrying one load of 6,000 to 9,000 litres of sewage was charged 100 to discharge wastewater into the plant for treatment. From November, prices were hiked to Rs 250.