Huge pools of stagnant sewage on Vaigai South Bank Road at Ismailpuram here have become breeding grounds for mosquitoes and have been causing severe inconvenience to the residents.
The residents complain that underground drainage pipelines in the area were damaged during the construction of a retaining wall along the Vaigai by Madurai Corporation as part of the Smart City projects.
P. Saravanan, a long-time resident, says that Ismailpuram has been plagued with faulty underground drainage system for many decades. “The sewage from the area is usually pumped to Santhaipettai pumping station, which is very old and overburdened. Sometimes, sewage is directly discharged into the Vaigai whenever the Santhaipettai pumping station is overburdened. But, since the construction of the retaining wall, sewage cannot be discharged into the river, resulting in sewage stagnation along the retaining wall,” he said.
The stagnant sewage leads to breeding of mosquitoes, causing inconvenience to the residents. “The stench of the nauseating sewage also makes it difficult for residents to reside along the river,” said S. Kala, another resident.
The residents say that despite registering complaints with the Corporation officials several times, no action has been taken to address this issue.
A Corporation engineer said that smart City works have been suspended currently due to the imposition of complete lockdown. But, steps will be taken to address the issue, he added.
