The residents of Maruthupandian Street in Melamadai (ward 30) have complained that due to a faulty underground drainage system, sewage has been seeping into their houses for the past one week.
This street is located close to Nellai Street, where a 54-year-old man, who tested positive for COVID-19, died recently . The residents have asked the authorities to immediately clear the blockage in the underground drainage line to ensure hygiene at their locality.
Following incidents of COVID-19 positive cases being reported in this area, both the streets have been sealed and movement of the residents has also been restricted. Currently, conservancy workers of Madurai Corporation with all necessary safety gear spray disinfectants and collect garbage from households regularly.
R. Yatish, a resident, said that human waste has been oozing into their toilets, causing harm to the residents. “All of us are already anxious as COVID-19 positive cases were reported in our area. I have a two-year-old son and I am worried that this unhygienic condition may further worsen the situation,” he said.
The problem can be addressed if the 15 drainage chambers in the street are cleared using sucker machines, said A. Jayakumar, a resident and former councillor. “These pipelines were laid under the ‘Namakku Namey’ scheme in an unplanned manner. Hence, they have to be cleared once every year. Though we repeatedly complained to the officials, no action has been taken yet,” he said.
A Corporation official said that this was one of the locations chosen for laying new underground drainage pipelines under the Smart Cities Mission. “We are working on war-footing to address any complaint from residents. This issue was not brought to our notice. But, we will enquire and take steps at the earliest,” the official said.
