For children of Malaichamipuram village near Othakadai, playtime means wading into a large pool of slimy sewage water stagnant near their homes. The residents complain that the sewage, which overflowed from a Public Works Department tank, has been stagnant in front of their homes for the past one month posing severe health hazard.
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A Vijaya, a resident of Malaichamipuram village, says that sewage from residences in, Muniyandipuram, Seethalakshmi Nagar and nearby areas are drained into Vavaalthottam tank, located at the end of Malaichamipuram village. “But, following the recent rain, sewage water overflowed from the tank to the nearby areas, causing inconvenience to the residents,” she says.
Plastic waste and household garbage are also found dumped in the pool of nauseating sewage.
Selvi, a resident, says that sewage water entered their homes, following overflow from the tank. “Snakes and insects too have entered the homes of some residents,” she adds.
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The residents have to wade through sewage water, which leads to skin allergies says V. P. Pandeeswari, another resident. “Despite repeated warnings from parents, many children play in the sewage water. As a result, many suffer from skin allergies,” she says.
The stagnant sewage water has also become a breeding spot for mosquitoes, says Ms. Vijaya. “There is a high risk of spread of communicable diseases, especially among children, due to the stagnant sewage water. Most of us are daily-wage workers and can't afford to fall sick often,” she adds.
The residents says that the officials must intervene to solve the issue immediately. “There is an urgent need to construct underground drainage system to address the issue in the long run,” says Ms. Pandeeswari.
Additional Director of Panchayats A. Chelladurai says that the issue will be immediately addressed.