CHENNAI: Residents of Iyyappanthangal have raised serious concerns over severe groundwater contamination caused by the illegal discharge of grey water from residential and commercial properties. Grey water is domestic waste water that comes from plumbing fixtures and has no substantial contact with faecal matter.
Wastewater from the 4th Main Road of VGN Nagar and the 1st Main Road of Ashok Brindavan Nagar has been pooling in a massive, low-lying vacant area.
Residents alleged this stagnant water was seeping into the home wells, contaminating household overhead tanks and threatening a major public health crisis. The issue stems from a low-lying tract of land running behind VGN Nagar.
Thirty years ago, this land was earmarked by the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB), which laid a massive pipeline 20 feet underground, carrying water from Chembarambakkam Lake to the Valasaravakkam Pumping Station via Iyyappanthangal and Porur.
However, because the land is privately owned, the owners excavated vast amounts of soil, turning the land into a deep, low-lying pool. Consequently, neighbouring buildings began illegally discharging their grey water directly into this hollow.
Pratheesja Illangovan, a resident of VGN Nagar, noted that residents in her complex unknowingly consumed foul-smelling water for a week. “We discovered our well was heavily contaminated by the stagnant pool, which is fed by illegal grey water discharge from buildings on both sides of the Metro Water alignment, specifically along the 4th Main Road of VGN Nagar and the 1st Main Road of Ashok Brindavan Nagar,” she explained.
Echoing her concerns, P Vigneshwaran, from the same apartment complex, pointed out that this was the second time their water source has been compromised in recent years. “It poses severe health risks for all age groups, even though we now only use the water for non-drinking purposes,” he averred.
Despite continuous escalation, residents blamed authorities for their lackadaisical approach to their grievances. “Though we complained to the Kundrathur BDO, CMWSSB, and the local panchayat, no action has been taken,” Illangovan lamented.
Residents are now demanding that the Kundrathur health officer deploy an enforcement team to permanently block the illegal outlets and construct an underground sewerage network. An official in the Kundrathur BDO said, “I’ll instruct officials to inspect the place and take immediate action to rectify the issue.”
Attempts to reach the Kundrathur health officer proved futile.