Rains are not the reason for the puddles of water which have become a common sight at Venkatesapuram Colony in Ayanavaram. A closer look will show it is not rainwater but sewage overflowing on to the road — a problem residents have been enduring for some years now. Over 500 families reside in this locality comprising first, second, third cross streets and north and south streets, and overflowing sewage is a problem most of them share. In some streets, the sewage spills are so bad that it leaves a stink.
“Those residing on the ground floor are the worst-affected as water does not drain out easily from the home and the sewage lines are clogged,” says a long-time resident of North Street.
Though the sewage board has attended to complaints from residents, the issue does not seem to have been resolved completely. Complaints keep cropping up.
Getting to a news mart on Konnur High Road is like completing an obstacle course. D. Ebenezer has placed bricks outside his shop so that customers do not have to wade through slushy sewage water. He blames it on the height of the road that has blocked water from filtering down the drains.
According to residents, the locality started as a cooperative colony in 1948 with about 140 houses. Over the years, many commercials complexes and independent houses have given way to multi-storeyed apartments, causing sewer lines to almost collapse. Sayani Theatre is an example of a commercial complex demolished to build flats.
Most of the newer apartments are built to match the height of the road, but that is not the case with old independent houses that are most affected by sewage overflow. “Many houses have come up on this locality and we want the sewage lines to be re-laid with increased diameter,” says S. Sivakumar, former secretary of VP Colony Welfare Association.
A few residents are campaigning with the Tamil Nadu Sewage Board to get the sewage network re-laid.
Officials from the Sewage Board say sometimes jet-rodding machines are inadequate to clear clogged drains and relaying the pipeline is a long-term solution.
According to Vilivakkam MLA, JCD Prabhakar, a jet-rodding machine and de-silting machine at the cost of Rs. 34 lakh was sanctioned for Division 96 after he brought the issue to the notice of the Chief Minister. “Some of the colonies in Ayanavaram are over 20 years old and even metro water lines are not strong enough.
In some areas work was undertaken to replace water supply lines with wider diameter,” says Prabhakar. We will have a consultation for VP Colony to find the areas that need sewer lines re-laid, he added.
