CHENNAI: Overnight rain is all it takes to turn the empty plots at Ayyappa Nagar and its surrounding areas in Kolathur into mini-swamps.
As neither the Corporation officials nor owners of these plots are doing anything to pump out the water, it has become the ideal breeding grounds for mosquitoes. The worried locals have identified three plots where water has stagnated after the recent rains.
The water level at one particular plot rose to more than one feet and has remained so for days. Dinesh, a resident of Kolathur, said, "Plastic bottles and construction debris can be seen floating on the stagnant water. The 10-cent plot belongs to a private party, and has not been maintained properly. The owner should be informed and action taken to prevent water stagnation."
While some residents are finding it difficult to adjust to their surroundings, others go on about their daily business. Chandrika, who has been living in Ayyappa Nagar for more than eight years said, "Stagnation occurs after every spell of rain. However, this is not the case with every plot. There are open grounds where rainwater does not remain for long. Only certain vacant plots are vulnerable to rains. The grounds should be levelled and raised with mud to prevent stagnation."
With more rains predicted this week, the residents are worried that the water level could rise further and may take longer to drain. When contacted, a zonal official said owners of private plots have to take responsibility for water stagnation.
"In many cases, the owners are out of town. We usually have to get permission from them to enter the land and pump out water so that it doesn’t amount to trespassing. However, in cases where this becomes a public health hazard we have no other option but to pump out the water ourselves. Residents can raise complaints with us," the official said.