Residents of parts of Ambattur zone are still grappling with issues of sewage flowing in open canals. They want these canals to be replaced with a storm-water drain network.
The erstwhile Ambattur municipality had built open canals to carry floodwater. However, sewage flows in most of these canals throughout the year. Residents of Vijayalakshmipuram and Venkatapuram said an open canal flows through the area from the junction of Murugappa Street and Murugappa First Cross Street. Sewage from various other streets, including Ganapathy Street and Kanniah Street, runs through Anna Salai and stagnates near the junction.
S. Raghuraman, a resident of Venkatapuram, said the open canal, which was also used as a dump, had become a breeding space for mosquitoes.
Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board must ensure that all households had sewer connections and linked to its network.
Some of the areas are already being had storm-water drain network. The Greater Chennai Corporation must chalk out a proposal to close these old open canals and seal sewage outfalls. Sewage must be diverted to the underground drainage network, the residents said.
T. Gunaseelan from Ambattur said the storm-water drain network had been completed in most parts of Varadharajapuram. However, in places such as Old ESI Road, Varadharajapuram and Old Pattaravakkam Road, the open canals carried mostly sewage and were clogged with plastic bottles.
Responding to residents’ complaints, Ambattur MLA Joseph Samuel said work was in progress to cover the localities in Zone No. 7 with storm-water drain network for a length of 188 km at a cost of ₹650 crore. Of this, work had been completed to a length of 108 km. The remaining work would be completed by this year end. Steps would be taken to close the open canals and replace them with storm-water drain, Mr. Samuel said.
