CHENNAI: Residents of the housing board colony in Korratur are having a tough time putting up with the continuous stench and potential health hazard posed by the sewage pumping station in the location.
What started as an inconvenience has made everyday life difficult for the residents in the area.
The Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board operates a sewage pumping station with a 22 Mld capacity in Korattur. The sewage from this pumping station is drained into the Kodungaiyur Sewage Treatment plant.
In 2019, housing board apartments with 222 flats came up on the land adjoining the pumping station. Residents of the apartment allege lack of maintenance at the pumping station is causing the unbearable stench. Ganesh, president of the resident welfare association, told TNIE,
“When we moved in here, there were no major issues, but the foul smell and gas released from the pumping station is unbearable now. In 2021, the housing board built a temporary structure around the station and assured that it will control the foul odour. But within a year it started falling off due to rusting. Electrical appliances are malfunctioning frequently and we are unable to move after spending our life savings to buy our flat.”
R Banu (60) a resident of Korattur for 40 years said, “Foul odour makes life hell, adding, they release the gas early in the morning. People like me, who go out for morning walks, are restricted to our houses now.”
Councillor J John of Ward 84 said, “I have raised the issue multiple times in council meetings. Residents cannot be relocated and it is also practically impossible to shift the pumping station. So, the metro water should undertake proper measures to ensure that the foul smell is taken care of.”
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued several norms and guidelines for managing sewage plants and pumping stations. An engineer with metro water said, “We have tested an odour control mechanism in one of the wells on a trial basis. We have sent a proposal to establish the same in all wells. Once they are built, the problem will be solved.”
Metro water board spokesperson Vetri Selvan told TNIE, “All our plants are operated following the guidelines prescribed by the pollution control board and NGT. The odour control system will arrest the foul odour. Once approved, odour control structures will be established at the station.”