VIRUDHUNAGAR: Though carved out more than a century ago, Virudhunagar municipality is still battling with many unresolved issues, mainly shortage of drinking water and improper underground drainage system.
A resident of the municipality, T Kamalakannan, who stays near Kamarajar Memorial, said many of the areas, particularly around Kamarajat Memorial Illam, are still not connected with underground drainage pipes. "As a result, human faeces are often found floating in sewage channels. The area is also battling with mosquito menace," he said, adding that the residents are keeping their fingers crossed to come out of the unhygienic conditions they live in.
Kamalakannan further said the advent of imported machines has taken a toll on the job opportunities of the residents in the district, which is a trading centre for match-box industry cotton, dried chilly, groundnut oil, coriander seed, jaggery and grains.
Furthermore, the shortage of drinking water has forced the residents to store water in big containers for more than 10 to 20 days. "We are facing the issue at a time when a huge quantity of water is often flowing into the river from Annaikuttam reservoir due to lack of maintenance of its shutters," he pointed out.
Another resident, R Deepa, said as a proper drainage system is not in place, the drinking water gets mixed with sewage. "Leaks and blocks in sewage channel are also common, leading to water getting stagnated around the houses," she said.
Deepa's woes do not end there. She said after the municipality constructed the new bus stand just opposite to Kuraikundu Panchayat crematorium more than 20 years ago, no mofussil bus stops there. "Only a few town buses pass through the new bus stand. Buses coming on bypass roads would stop near the collectorate and PRC depot. Though, residents submitted many representations to the collector urging him to take initiative to stop the mofussil buses either inside of new bus stand or old bus stand, no step has been taken so far," she said.