MADURAI: Due to years of poor maintenance, a branch irrigation canal passing through Alangulam in ward 17 has turned into an open drain. To add to the worries of residents in the locality, the corporation has dumped the silt that was removed from the canal last week on the road, resulting in foul smell pervading the area.
Residents said that despite raising the issue to corporation officials, no action has been taken to prevent sewage flow into the canal. Last week, the corporation carried out desilting works in the 400-m long canal. Residents said a huge quantity of waste was removed and dumped on the road. Till Sunday, it has was not cleared.
P Gopi, a resident of ward 17, said, “This is a regular problem in the area. The canal gets choked once in a couple of days, and the corporation has to desilt them. But workers leave the waste on the roadside, resulting in unbearable stench. We cannot even walk in the area.”
He added that the canal, which once carried water from a local tank, has turned into a sewage drain. The corporation has to desilt the canal and construct a concrete wall to prevent sewage from overflowing during monsoon.
Residents also complained that officials clear the clogged canal only after submitting repeated petitions to officials and alleged that requests were addressed only once a month. A long-term solution is required for the problem, they said.
When contacted, a senior corporation official said monsoon-preparedness works were being carried out across the city. The waste removed from drains is cleared at once. Steps will be taken to remove the accumulated waste in Ward 17, he said.