CHENNAI: Taking disposal of sewage into stormwater drains to newer heights, the Medavakkam panchayat tanker parked in its office compound was caught letting out untreated sewage into a drain just outside its office, through a hole in the compound wall.
A video shared by local residents with The New Indian Express showed the tanker parked inside the office compound at Mambakkam-Medavakkam Main Road letting out sewage through a hole in the wall into a storm water drain outside. The hose pipe, passing through the hole in the wall, is covered by a wooden slab so that nobody sees it.
A local resident, who shot the video and did not want to be named, said that if parked outside, the lorry gets caught easily and hence they are using this technique. "We had raised many complaints before the Covid lockdown and this issue was temporarily stopped in the area. Now, again it has started," said the resident.
Express has so far reported several instances of panchayat and private tankers letting out sewage into storm water drains across the city suburbs such as Maduravoyal, Porur and Mogappair among other places. However, there seems to be no end to the issue.
A few days ago, the National Green Tribunal had also taken cognisance of one of the TNIE stories on private tankers letting out sewage in open drains and sought a response from the Principal Secretary of the Public Works Department.
Activist David Manohar said that he had also raised the issue of the Medavakkam panchayat letting out sewage into open drains recently and following complaints, it was temporarily stopped but now again they have resumed. "They have now come up with a new technique of letting out sewage through a wall with their lorry parked inside the compound so no one knows," he said.
When contacted, an official with the Medavakkam panchayat said that it was wrong information and denied that the tanker let sewage out from the compound. Later, when The New Indian Express said a video was shot in the regard, the official cut the call and did not respond further.