CHENNAI: Residents of Nethaji Nagar in Tondiarpet have urged the Metro Water Board to plug an illegal sewage outfall into the Buckingham Canal in their area, which has been continuing for over a decade.
Residents pointed out that while the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has begun desilting canals ahead of the monsoon, this illegal sewage discharge continues to increase silt deposit.
According to residents, sewage has been getting discharged into the Buckingham Canal in Nethaji Nagar for many years.
During the monsoon, fears escalate as rainwater mixed with sewage overflows into the southern part of Nethaji Nagar.
T Aishwarya of Nethaji Nagar said, "A few years back during the monsoon, water overflowed from the canal and inundated 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and several other streets in Nethaji Nagar. Waist-level sewage water was recorded in low-lying areas, along with knee-level flooding in Vinobhava Nagar, Patel Nagar, and Thamizhan Nagar."
"Because a dump yard is located near the canal, the stench from waste and sewage becomes unbearable. Also, the mosquito menace worsens on rainy days," she added.
Residents also pointed out that garbage piled near the compound wall frequently spills into the canal. They urged the GCC to clear the water hyacinth and carry out desilting work along the stretch soon.
V Dinesh, a member of the Youth Climate Resilient Movement, explained, "The GCC must prevent sewage from mixing with canals. The sewage discharged into this canal flows and settles in the wetlands at Ennore Creek, where sewage silt damages the ecosystem. As a result, rainwater drainage slows at the estuary, which increases the risk of severe flooding in north Chennai neighbourhoods," insisting that the desilting work has to be done at the earliest.
"Works to replace the 1,000 mm sewage pipeline at the F4 sewage pumping station in Tondiarpet is under way. The remaining 160 metres of pipeline work is expected to be completed by October. Once completed, the sewage outfall will be plugged and redirected to the Kodungaiyur Sewage Treatment Plant," a Metro Water Board official told DT Next.