MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Thursday granted an interim injunction against discharge of sewage water from residential areas into a waterbody in Kodikulam village in Madurai. A bench of justices GR Swaminathan and B Pugalendhi passed the interim order on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petition filed by R Shantha Moorthy seeking a direction to stop sewage discharge and restore the waterbody.
According to Moorthy, the Vavvathottam kanmoi, situated near Yanai Malai, was once a major source of drinking water and irrigation in the area. But, due to urbanisation the nearby agricultural fields were converted into residential plots, and all channels leading to the kanmoi were either closed or converted into drainage canals, he added.
Now the Madurai east panchayat union officials are constructing a sewage pit and discharging sewage water from Othakadai, Narasingam, and Kodikulam panchayat into Vavvathottam kanmoi, he alleged and sought a direction against the same. When the case was heard on Thursday, the counsel appearing for block development officer of the above panchayat union submitted that due to non-availability of an underground drainage system, sewage from 300 houses in Malaichamypuram village of Kodikulam panchayat, 250 houses in Othakadai panchayat, and 250 houses in Narasingam panchayat is getting discharged into the kanmoi.
By constructing a sewage pit, the waste water is getting filtered before being drained into the kanmoi, he added. Since the aforesaid three panchayats are situated near the corporation limits, a proposal has been made to the corporation to link the drainage of the panchayats with the corporation's UGD, he further said.
However, the judges criticised that the aforesaid response confirms the petitioner's allegations. Stating that letting out sewage into a waterbody cannot be permitted, and that it is for the local body to evolve an appropriate solution, they ordered an interim injunction and adjourned the case.