CHENNAI: Residents of Devananthan Street in Mandaveli staged a protest on Friday morning demanding that officials clear the water mixed with sewage entering their houses. However, the protest turned violent as DMK cadres attacked them for blocking the road. DMK MLA of Mylapore constituency D Velu later visited the spot and promised to clear the waterlogging.
The issue
Knee-deep water, mixed with sewage, has entered houses on Chokkalingam Street, Pattammal Street, Ammani Ammal Street, Vinayagam Street and Thiruvalluvarpet Road, along St Mary’s Road in Mandaveli.
On Thursday evening, after the road caved in on RK Mutt Road, the sewage pumps underground were damaged and the sewage pumping station on St Mary’s Road, which is over 100 years old, was shut down. “Only the main roads have storm water drains and the inner lanes do not. Moreover, our houses are at a lower level than the road which causes water to stagnate. Residents from other streets are pumping their underground sewage into our streets leading to waterlogging in front of our houses,” says D Rajesh Kumar, an advocate by profession.
For four days, there has been no power supply and residents have pooled in several thousands of rupees to arrange diesel for the motor to pump out water from their streets. However, the residents alleged that neither the corporation officials nor the MLA have visited or taken steps to clear the water.
Residents protest
Even after the rain stopped on Thursday evening, the waterlogging had not reduced by Friday morning. Agitated by the lack of any response from officials, the residents took to the streets. By noon, they blocked St Mary’s Road demanding immediate clearing of water from the streets, just a few metres away from the Mylapore MLA office.
An elderly DMK cadre who was trying to cross the road on his two-wheeler picked up an argument with one of the residents and soon it turned into a fistfight. Around ten more DMK cadres from the MLA office reached the spot and started attacking the public. Tension prevailed in the area as both residents and cadres started chasing and beating one another.
MLA's visit
Police reached the spot and tried to pacify the residents. The DMK MLA for Mylapore constituency D Velu later held talks with the residents. Speaking to The New Indian Express, Velu blamed the previous government for not building roads with proper planning.
“I have been visiting all the waterlogged areas since morning and the situation is worse in some places. It is unfortunate that some commuters and residents clashed. I have already made arrangements to get the sewage pumping station to work,” said Velu.
While two trucks from the CMWSSB reached the spot to clear water from the streets, they disappeared after the MLA left the spot. The residents are still hoping that the waterlogging would be cleared.