For K. Rajaraman, a 60-year-old resident of Adyar, taking his dog for a walk in Gandhi Nagar used to be a pleasant experience. Over the past one month, it has turned traumatic due to the dust pollution caused by frequent movement of lorries carrying desilted sand from the Adyar river.
The Public Works Department (PWD) has been desilting the Adyar river for a few months. The desilted sand is carried in over 50 lorries every day through a pathway, created near a school in Gandhi Nagar, that leads up to the river.
Though the contractors claim that the mud is carried between 11 p.m and 4 a.m to avoid inconvenience to the residents, public charge that the lorry movement, especially through 1st Crescent Park Road, begins at 9 p.m and goes on till 7 a.m. “The movement of lorries has caused dust pollution and it has become impossible to go for morning walks. The entire road has become dusty,” said Mr. Rajaraman.
Security guards in the locality said that it also becomes very noisy in the night. “We just hope the work gets over at the earliest. Till about 8 a.m, we are not able to even breathe properly,” said a security guard in the locality.
C. Ramakrishnan, president, Federation of Adyar Residents Association said that he was happy that the desilting was taking place. “But it has to be done properly. The silt should not be left on the bund for hours, it should be carried when wet,” he said.
A parent of a student studying in a school nearby said that he is now frighted to send his daughter alone to school. “She used to cycle to school, now I drop her everyday due to the heavy movement of lorries,” said K. Sekhar, the parent.
Meanwhile, a contractor who has been carrying out the work in the five kilometer stretch between Saidapet and Thiru Vi Ka Bridge in Adyar, said that the work will be completed soon. “We cover the mud with tarpaulin sheets to prevent pollution. Besides we carry wet mud,” he said assuring that the desilting work would be completed in the next few weeks.
