As if the wind and the power cuts were not bad enough, the disruption of telecommunication services after Cyclone Vardah saw residents strugggling to report civic issues to the Chennai Corporation and other line agencies.
With councillors not in office, desperate residents tried to contact assistant engineers of the Corporation. But most such calls were reportedly in vain.
“We received just 235 complaints on the phone,” said an official of the Corporation. Residents in many neighbourhoods said they were unable to communicate civic issues pertaining to uprooted trees and water stagnation to the Corporation helpline 1913 or the other numbers provided by the civic body. At many places, even as the teams of Chennai Corporation, police personnel and other line agencies were clearing the traffic blocks caused by uprooted trees, residents had to pitch in and clear the blocks.
Residents tried to mobilise support on social media for relief and rescue work. Residents led by former Mayor and Saidapet MLA M.Subramanian formed WhatsApp groups and urged officials to speed up relief and rescue operations.
“Finally, volunteers had to visit the affected areas in each neighbourhood. Many roads in Saidapet have been cut off. The demand from residents is more. Only a few workers are on duty on some of the roads. The road to my house in Labour Colony is also cut off because of uprooted trees,” said Mr. Subramanian.
Chennai Metrowater received 42 complaints pertaining to sewage blocks and stagnant rainwater. Metrowater also operated 50 lorry trips to supply water to the relief camps set up across the city. The water agency is monitoring the chlorine levels in the drinking water supply and has deployed 41 super sucker machines, 217 desilting machines and 122 jetrodding machines to remove sewage blocks.
“Rescue and relief operations are under way in each of the zones. We put in place a mechanism for monsoon preparedness following the advice given by former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa. Residents have been requested to remain indoors,” said Municipal Administration Minister S.P. Velumani.
