CHENNAI: Illegal dumping of untreated sewage into open lands is a regular occurrence in the suburban areas of Chennai for years, but now several instances of private tankers discharging raw waste into storm water drains have been observed within the city corporation limits too.
Various private tankers, which carry raw sewage from private apartment complexes and houses, were spotted discharging the waste in open storm water drains alongside the Porur Link Road.
Videos and photos shared by local residents with The New Indian Express show that three different lorries were seen discharging sewage into the storm water drains. The Porur Link Road comes under Zone 11 (Valasaravakkam) of Chennai Corporation.
With the road deserted due to the COVID-19 lockdown, lorries are having a free run in discharging the waste.
Local activist Pughalventhan V, who noticed the incident first, says that such instances of open dumping of raw sewage have been happening for years in the suburbs of the city.
Just a few weeks ago, an instance of sewage discharge was spotted in the Pallavaram Periya Eri too.
The private tankers are supposed to only discharge the waste in sewage treatment plants and not release it in the open anywhere. However, such rules have never been followed.
"Earlier, they used to let off sewage alongside the Vanagaram- Maduravoyal bypass road and after complaints, they stopped doing it. Now this is happening in Porur,'' said Pughalventhan.
The New Indian Express had also reported an incident of such open dumping of sewage water near Kundrathur.
While it is illegal for the lorries to dump sewage in the open, the civic body too is supposed to close the storm water drains after construction. "After construction, the SWDs are just left neglected,'' says Pughalventhan.
During the monsoon season, this also leads to the SWDs getting filled by garbage.
When contacted by The New Indian Express, Corporation officials with the zone said they would take note of the violation and take necessary action.