As the December 2023 floods receded, Chennai residents were left to grapple with a more insidious threat — sewage mixing with floodwaters in such areas as Kottivakkam, Sholinganallur, and Manali.
For months, locals battled the foul smell and health issues, with stagnant sewage adding to their woes and overwhelming the city’s storm water drains. The storm water drains let the contaminated water into the waterbodies. Even now, the issue plagues the Madipakkam lake, say Greater Chennai Corporation officials.
Mayor’s directive
The matter came up for discussion at the Corporation Council meeting on August 29. Mayor R. Priya asked the Chennai Metro Water Supply and Sewage Board (CMWSSB) to look into the issue as it was a health hazard.
Officials say water hyacinth thrives on sewage by absorbing nutrients and minerals from wastewater. But it lowers the dissolved oxygen concentration, damaging fish populations. Further, an excess of these plants may increase flooding in rivers and canals as they block inlets and outlets, according to studies.
A problem plant
At a meeting to discuss the preparations for handling the northeast monsoon, the spread of water hyacinth in many waterbodies, including the Captain Cotton Canal, the Cooum, the Buckingham Canal, and the Pallikaranai Marsh, was pointed out. There were also calls for restoring the Vyasarpadi Link Canal and the Kodungaiyur Canal.
The civic officials responded that dredging was being done in the Captain Cotton Canal and the Kodungaiyur Canal, and poclain machines were stationed in the Kodungaiyur North and South Canals, the Jawahar Canal, and the Vyasarpadi Canal as a precautionary measure.
No household connections
Perungudi still goes without household drainage connections in several areas, said Zone-14 Ward Committee chairman S.V. Ravichandran.
“Owing to this, sewage from some houses drains into the Pallikaranai Marsh. Whenever such an illegal discharge is identified, the outlet is cut off and the persons responsible are penalised. But they repeat the offence within a few weeks. Some outlet pipes are placed in such a way that they are not visible. Action will be taken against all violators,” he said.
The issue occurred mostly in added areas and action would be taken in coordination with the departments concerned, officials said.
Identification under way
Royapuram Zone-5 Ward Committee chairman P. Sriramulu said the issue was mostly prevalent in low-income group areas and a few middle-income group areas. “The process of identifying such areas is under way and a report will be submitted to the officials concerned,” he said.
Constant expansion
S. Snehasri was one of the volunteers who compiled an audit of the problem areas in Chennai. She said sewage was being let out into storm water drains at MGR Nagar in Vyasarpadi, Thideer Nagar in Ottheri, Kannigapuram, and Korukkupet. In these areas, the sewage was illegally conveyed to the storm water drains or to canals. Hence, household connections must be given soon, especially in slum areas. The officials attributed the lack of connections to the constant expansion of the city.
A senior official of the Corporation said the problem was noted mainly in the added areas, especially in the Tiruvottiyur and Manali Zones (I & II). He said that ideally, Metrowater officials, responsible for checking the household connections, must be penalised, but that was not happening.
“Water hyacinth in the canals under the Water Resources Department are often cleared by the Corporation, yet the problem persists owing to the continuous discharge of sewage,” the official said.
Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner J. Kumaragurubaran said the issue would be looked into immediately and talks would be held with the departments and officials concerned.
Published - September 08, 2024 11:13 pm IST
