Corporation accused of coercing residents to take UGD connection

Sometime ago, Coimbatore Corporation officials approached Saramedu resident S. Sheikh Mohammad (name changed) to take underground drainage connection. They also told his neighbours to connect to the underground sewerage grid.

When the residents showed reluctance, the officials convened a meeting to explain the benefits of taking the connection and subtly told them that if they chose not to, they would have to face consequences.

And, when the officials began coercing, they resisted the move, recalls Mr. Mohammad.

His story is true of residents in wards where the corporation has opened the UGD network for house service connection - Ward 55 in the North Zone, Wards 74 in the Central Zone, Wards 61 and 75 in East Zone and Wards 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 20 and 21 in West Zone and Wards 76, 77, 78, 70, 85 and 86 in South Zone.

Underground drainage pipeline in most of the aforementioned wards are connected to the sewage treatment plant in Ukkadam and in the rest to the plant in Ondipudur. The corporation has provided the underground drainage facility at over ₹300 crore under the JNNURM scheme.

The residents say that the corporation should not compel them to take the UGD connection and that it should be a matter of choice. Most of them have septic tanks attached to houses and using it to store and dispose of sewage is far more economical than going in for UGD connection.

This seems to be the refrain from most of the residents as the corporation’s efforts to bring more residents under the UGD grid have given poor results. Corporation engineers on condition of anonymity say that since November 2016, they have been able to convince only about 15 per cent residents in each of the aforementioned wards to opt for the UGD service.

The engineers say that the residents often cite the very high deposit charges and also the recurring user charges to underscore their argument that using septic tanks continues to be economical option.

And, their efforts to convince the residents often meet resistance.

But the corporation has asked them to go ahead by giving them daily targets - at least three connections a day - and warning of disciplinary action, if they don’t show results. With reluctant residents on the one side and officials on the other side, they were finding it difficult, they rue.

Senior corporation officials say that residents do not have a choice as far as UGD connection goes. It is a question of public health and protection of environment (water bodies). Plus, there is also the issue of corporation taking return on investment on the money spent on UGD.

Whatever is the case, the corporation cannot compel residents, argues Coimbatore Consumer Cause secretary K. Kathirmathion. There is no legal backing to force residents to take UGD connection.