The Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) has appealed to Corporation Commissioner B. Vishnu Chandran to remove alleged encroachments that are obstructing the flow of rainwater from Karim Nagar near Melapalayam to Venthankulam near the new bus stand.
The rainwater that gets accumulated in Teachers’ Colony and Government Engineering College during the northeast monsoon overflows Tirunelveli-Nagercoil Highway and reaches Karim Nagar area on Melapalayam–Reddiyarpatti Road. Like a small wild stream, the rainwater crosses Karim Nagar and flows towards Venthankulam through Xavier Colony, from where the surplus water gets drained in Palayam Channel opposite K. A. Hotel on South Bypass Road.
As illegal structures have come up, these obstruct the flow of rainwater towards Venthankulam and Karim Nagar, Teachers’ Colony and Government Engineering College get marooned whenever there is considerable rain.
Rainwater stagnating on Melapalayam–Reddiyarpatti Road also affects vehicular traffic.
Hence, the SDPI submitted a petition to the Corporation authorities last October also appealing to them to remove the encroachments. As the structures are yet to be removed even as the northeast monsoon is about to start within a week, the party cadre submitted a petition again to Mr. Vishnu Chandran during the special grievances redress meet held at Palayamkottai Zone office on Wednesday.
“We, especially our children, are facing untold hardship during the rainy season as water stagnates in Karim Nagar area due to structures obstructing the flow of water to Venthankulam. Our earlier petitions did not evoke any positive response from the Corporation officials. Hence, we are submitting a petition again since the monsoon is about to start,” said K.S. Shahul Hameed Usmani, president of Masjid-Ul-Huda Jamaath of Karim Nagar.
