CHENNAI: Since the Chennai Corporation has been initiating special drives to clean construction debris from city roads, residents of north Chennai are pointing to the garbage accumulating in canals and waterbodies, where trash and construction debris have been dumped indiscriminately affecting free flow of water.

The Link Canal, which connects the Captain Cotton Canal and Buckingham Canal in Tondiarpet, is filled with debris that’s dumped from the bridge near Ezhil Nagar. Uncleaned water hyacinth and dumped solid waste affects the water flow, and also poses a health risk to residents of Ezhil Nagar and Kodungaiyur.

“Due to the ongoing bridge work near Ezhil Nagar, construction debris is being dumped in the Link Canal. Also, residents have been dumping the garbage in the canal, which has resulted in the massive growth of water hyacinth in the waterbody,” pointed out V Murugan a resident of Kodungaiyur.

The Corporation officials have warned people not to dump garbage into the canal, residents continue to do the same. “Due to the uncleaned water hyacinth and garbage and household wastes in Captain Cotton Canal, mosquito menace has increased,” said Rani, a resident of Ezhil Nagar.

Concurring with her was Jaiganesh LM, a civic activist and resident of Kodungaiyur, who added: “Silt builds up and blocks the water flow. If the canals are cleaned in summer, the overflow in monsoon will be prevented.”

When contacted, a senior official at the Chennai Corporation said, “Plans are underway to set trash arresters in four canals in the Tondiarpet zone. For the easy transportation of cleared water hyacinths, we’re planning to construct some platforms near the canals. The works will be completed before the monsoon.”