Sewage-laden lorries raise a stink

They have been dumping untreated water into stormwater drains for the past few years

CHENNAI : 13/04/2016 : FOR CITY: Sewage being letout into the strom water drain on the Chennai byepass service lane near Madurovoyal. Photo : K. Pichumani

Lorries carrying sewage on the Chennai Bypass have become the target of ire of residents who are unhappy with it being dumped in stormwater drains.

Over the past few years, as the city has grown exponentially, the underground drainage network has not been able to catch up and lorries have been deployed to transport the sewage. However, it is the residents of areas such as Nolambur and Ayanambakkam who are bearing the brunt of this practice as according to them, the lorries discharge the sewage into stormwater channels.

They are supposed to transport the sewage to the nearest treatment plant.

 

Health hazard

R. Subramanian, a resident of Ayanambakkam, said: “Every day, I see 10-15 lorries dumping sewage into the channel that is meant to carry floodwater to the Cooum. This sometimes increases even to 20 lorry loads. Such illegal dumping of untreated sewage would add to the pollution of the Cooum and is a health hazard to the residents of the neighbouring areas.”

He said the groundwater in the neighbouring areas would be contaminated as the untreated sewage was being discharged for nearly five years.

Residents alleged that the sewage lorries were engaged in such illegal disposal so as to avoid paying charges for sewage treatment. Although several complaints had been made to various departments to prevent such practices, no action had been taken so far.

This stretch near Nolambur and Ayanambakkam was under the Thiruverkadu Municipality but now falls within the Chennai Corporation. A detailed report has been prepared and sent to the Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department to address the problem, officials said.