CHENNAI: Though rainwater has receded on Jawahar Street in Kodungaiyur, about 200 families continue to suffer. Sewage has stagnated in front of their houses, and mixed with their drinking water. This is a perennial problem though and the recent rains only made matters worse, they said.
While the Health Department has been raising awareness on clearing sumps and boiling water before drinking to prevent infectious diseases, residents of Jawahar Street said the supply from the pipeline is bad and has an unbearable stench.
The women also complained that many people on the street are down with fever and other sicknesses. “I’m worried as my two kids have fever. The stench of water from the pipe is unbearable. We can’t use that water for anything. Even when it just drizzles, sewage stagnates in front of our house and our drinking water problem continues,” said A Banumathi, a resident of Jawahar Street.
C Muruga Lakshmi, who runs a grocery store on the street, said the stagnated sewage has affected her business. “The rainwater has receded, but customers are hesitant to walk in the filthy sewage and come to my shop.”
MR Thamilarasu, secretary, Ever Vigilant Residents’ Welfare Association, said his wife and other two relatives are down with fever. “We (residents) recently pooled in Rs 8,000, and installed a big sewer line above the existing for free flow of the water. But the problem has recurred,” said Thamilarasu.
He said that though Metro Water officials always promise to resolve the issue, not much has been done.
Meanwhile, a Metro Water official in Ward 37 said they would visit the spot and attend to the issue. “Sewage is continuously being pumped out at the Sewage Pumping Station,” he said.
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