CHENNAI: A video circulated on social media has raised concerns of workers’ safety as it showed workers entering stormwater drains in Ekkatuthangal to carry out desilting work ahead of the monsoon.
The drains, many of which are flowing with sewage due to illegal sewage connections, pose a significant health risk to workers, activists said.
The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) had said earlier that they would resort to high-powered suction and jetting machines going forward to ensure both efficiency and the safety of sanitary workers.
Responding to the issue, a corporation official told TNIE that while jet rodding machines are being deployed in many areas, manual desilting continues in some locations. However, workers would not be allowed to physically enter the drains and were encouraged to use tools instead.