10-year delay in sewer works turning lakes into smelly swamps?

The underground sewer project in East Tambaram was started in 2009 by Metro Water Board.
A mixture of sewage and rainwater entering the Chitlapakkam lake | Express
A mixture of sewage and rainwater entering the Chitlapakkam lake | Express

CHENNAI: Prolonged underground drainage (UGD) works in two suburban localities of Tambaram and Pallavaram have turned waterbodies into sewage swamps. Residents say as long as this isn’t stopped, restoration of nearby lakes like ones in Chitlapakkam and Sembakkam is next to impossible. While delay in completing sewage project is the main issue behind pollution in Tambaram, constant repair of pipes due to poor quality is problem in Pallavaram.

The underground sewer project in East Tambaram was started in 2009 by Metro Water Board. Ten years later, many houses are yet to get sewer connections, said residents. Because of this many are illegally letting out sewage into stormwater drains which mixes with the Adyar River.

“Around eight million litres of sewage flows into Chitlapakkam and Sembakkam lakes. Though West Tambaram has been given connections, as the treatment plant is not ready, sewage from the locality is diverted into waterbodies,” said P Viswanathan, a resident. Metro Water officials said digging through rocky terrain was the main cause of delay. “We could only lay pipes for one to two metres in a day. We did not get permission on time to do the blasting too. GST and Mudichur roads were difficult. Waterlogging was a major issue at the site which delayed work,” said an official.

By the first week of January 2020, the 30-MLD sewage treatment plant will be ready. “We will start the trial run in a week. Out of nine zones in East Tambaram, around 8,000 houses in four zones have been given connection. We are building internal sewage chambers in each house. Work in two zones are stalled due to a court case. Work in the remaining three zones are on,” added the official.

In Pallavaram, though Metro Water laid all underground pipes back in 2012, due to major leaks, municipality officials are replacing many of them. According to a RTI filed by a resident, only 13,300 houses out of 52,000 in Pallavaram have sewer connection. Municipality officials said this was mainly due to the substandard pipe quality. Major repair works are going on at Nemilichery, Keelkatalai, and areas like Jain Nagar, Natesan Nagar and Kurinji Nagar in Chrompet.

“Underground pipes are supposed to last at least 20 years. Its been only five years and these pipes are developing leaks. Lack of supervision while laying of pipes is the other reason behind this. Pallavaram Municipality is unable to handle this due to lack of funds and man power,” said V Santhanam, a social activist from Chromepet.

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