CHENNAI: The seven-day long strike by private sewage tankers opposing the hike in charges for discharging sewage at Perungudi treatment plant has come to an end. Tanker association members confirmed that they withdrew the strike on Sunday afternoon after Metro Water Board officials agreed to bring down the charges from Rs 250 to Rs 150.
Around 1,500 private sewage tankers stopped service since December 3 after discharge fees for one load of sewage was hiked from Rs 100 to Rs 250 at Perungudi Sewage Treatment Plant (STP). For the past 10
years or more, one load of sewage was charged Rs 100 to be discharged into the STP.
D Ravi, member of Private Sewage Tanker Lorry Association said that local politicians meet officials two days ago during which negotiation talks were held to bring down the charges.“South Chennai MP JJayavardhan, former MLA KP Kannan and former MLA from Chitalapakkam, C Rajendran spoke to the officials about lowering the charges. Metro Water officials agreed to our demands and only increased it to Rs 150 instead of Rs 250,” he said.
Though it’s only a slight increase in charges, association members said that there will be an increase by Rs 30 to Rs 50 in the cost of hiring sewage tankers by residents. “We will soon have a meeting to discuss exactly how much more we will be charging the residents. Nothing is decided as of now,” added Ravi.
Residents living along OMR, ECR and southern suburbs of Tambaram, Guduvancherry, Selaiyur have been heavily dependent on private tankers due to the lack of underground pipe connections. In 2014, Metro Water promised to lay underground water and sewerage connections for the stretch from Perungudi till Shollinganallur. Even after a delay of five years, this project has failed to materialise.