CHENNAI: Had cyclone ‘Fani’ descended on Chennai as was initially expected, residents of Sunnambu Kolathur would have had sewage overflowing into their houses. With the cut-and-cover project being implemented on the 200 feet radial road, officials have blocked the surplus canal from the Keelkattalai lake which is connected to the Narayanapuram lake. Although both lakes barely have any water now, this connecting canal is brimming with sewage.
“There can be no clearer evidence that a large part of what fills the lake is sewage. Ironically, both lakes are dry but the interconnecting canal is full,” said a resident of BKR Nagar who did not want to be named.
Time and again, residents have lodged complaints of specific sewage inflows. After repeated complaints, some of these inflows have been blocked. “We lodged a complaint after we found that a famous builder has been letting sewage into this interconnecting canal. After we wrote to the Chief Minister’s cell, it was closed,” said J Sankar, a resident of Kagithapuram.
However, closing the inflows on a case-by-case basis has clearly not worked. Once the work for the cut-and-cover project is completed, the canal will be unblocked and the sewage will reach the Narayanapuram lake and eventually, when it rains, to the Pallikaranai marshlands.
“If there is no sewage, what is filling up the canal? It is only a few weeks ago that the water hyacinth was cleared from the canal but it has reappeared across the length and breadth of the canal because they thrive on sewage,” Sankar added.
When contacted, PWD officials said that they were fully aware of the sewage problem. However, they said, it was up to the city Corporation in Pallikaranai and Pallavaram municipality to block sewage inlets from apartments. “We have written to the local bodies numerous times. The sewage is let into the storm water drains and reaches the waterbodies. There is also no sewage treatment plant in the entire stretch,” said the officials.