Several waterways that pass through the city once served as a primary mode of transportation.
They have now turned into dumping yards and carriers of sewage.
Many major waterways have become breeding grounds for mosquitoes and pose health hazards to those residing along the banks.
Though periodic cleaning is undertaken by various government agencies before the advent of the northeast monsoon, the waterways soon return to their pathetic state due to floating garbage and sewage.
In his post on the Friends of Chennai (FOC) website, an initiative of The Hindu , Hari Prahlad, a resident of Neelankarai, says residents living along these waterways cannot escape from mosquito menace.
Rivers and canals in the city are also affected by other problems such as open defecation, dumping of garbage and illegal discharge of raw sewage, resulting in an unhygienic environment.
Residents of Anna Nagar East say the Otteri Nullah flowing along their area remained clean for a few months when the Water Resources Department (WRD) took up improvement work.
“Now, it has again been reduced to a garbage dump. We have to keep our doors and windows shut all the time to escape from mosquitoes,” says Chitra Babu, a resident.
Residents say the government must clean the waterways at least twice a year. Strict action against those polluting the waterways is also needed.
Sources at WRD say nearly Rs. 120 crore has been spent on improving the stretch of South Buckingham Canal between Thiruvanmiyur and Muttukadu.
“We have built retaining walls along the waterways to prevent dumping of waste and encroachment. Yet, people continue to misuse them,” says an official.
