Residents claim medical waste dumped in Chennai's Kodungaiyur canal, want it cleaned up

CHENNAI: Residents of Kodungaiyur have urged the Greater Chennai Corporation to desilt the canal at North Avenue Road as it has turned into a breeding ground for mosquitoes. They allege because the canal is blocked, medical waste is also being dumped in it.

The stormwater drains are connected to the canal and it should be periodically cleaned. It was cleaned last October. Earlier, the Corporation used to initiate cleaning whenever we lodged a complaint. Despite several complaints, it has not been done this time as officials say that machinery used to clean the waterbody is under repair, said LM Jaiganesh, a resident and activist.

There is also a private college near the canal and a bus stand a few hundred metres away. Along with the accumulation of waste, a foul smell is troublesome, said S Prasanth, another resident. Apart from desilting the canal, the Corporation should also place boards to ensure people don’t dump garbage in the waterbody.

Garbage bins should also be placed near the canal as the canal becomes a garbage dump in merely one or two months after it is cleaned, added the residents. Meanwhile, officials from the Chennai Corporation said desilting of all the canals in the locality will begin soon.