CHENNAI: Illegal dumping of raw sewage into stormwater drains continues in the city and this time, The New Indian Express journalists spotted one such tanker dumping sewage in the SWDs along the Chennai bypass near Mogappair on Monday afternoon.
As the driver saw the Express photojournalist clicking pictures, he immediately pulled up the sewage pipes and fled from the spot.
However, in the disguise of a customer, Express was able to call the phone number - 9688601234 - written on the lorry, posing to book the sewage tanker.
A person, named Sathyaraj, said his private tanker service named KSC -- plied along with the areas of Nolambur, Maduravoyal, Mogappair, and few other areas in the outskirts of the city.
He said that pumping out a tanker of sewage may cost Rs 500. While enquired on how he would dispose of the sewage, he claimed it would be sent to the sewage treatment plants only.
However, at the spot in Bypass Road near Mogappair, the sewage was dark black in color and it reeked out a foul odour.
According to sewage disposal norms, private tankers are supposed to send the sewage only to the treatment plants. But that has not been followed as The New Indian Express in the past has reported close to half a dozen instances of sewage tankers disposing off the waste in the storm drains.
Commuters said that because of that, the service lane stank of reeking sewage all the time and it also led to the accumulation of silt, resulting in highways getting inundated too.
“If these people pump in sewage into drains, where will rainwater go?” questioned Muthu, one of the commuters in the area.
Express also observed that only three-four feet was visible in the drain while close to two feet was filled with silt, which indicates that sewage dumping has been regular in the drains.
Express passed on the phone numbers of the lorry - 96886021234, 9943428182, and 9087146666 to Chennai Metro Water and Sewage Supply Board officials, who said they would inquire about it.