Sewage contaminates well, forces residents to shift

“Sewage water and water in the well got mixed after the recent rains. We have been dealing with contaminated water and foul smell for more twenty days now. Worse is, our homes have turned into a happy hunting ground for mosquitoes due to the mix up,” she said.

Meena added that her daughter, a college student who was unaware of the problem, had consumed a little water which landed her in the hospital. “She was given drips and later she began vomiting. We were asked to admit her to the hospital. The doctors told us it was diarrhoea and it could be a result of this contamination.”

Not wanting to take more risks with the family’s health, they have moved to Meena’s mother’s home in Poonamallee. “My son had undergone a procedure a few years ago and we didn’t want him to fall sick because of this. And I too have respiratory problems. So, we thought we will stay elsewhere till the problem is resolved. We have been in touch with my sister-in-law and family who live upstairs in the same block as ours, who told us the problem is persisting. It would take at least three more days for it to be rectified,” she said.

Meena is not facing this ordeal alone. A whole of houses on her street in 11th Block have been facing the same trouble. She added, “While we were assured that it would be set right in a couple of days, it has been more than a fortnight. We have had to buy water in tankers to tide over the problem. After we moved out, the house is still in a mess, as we have only been able to pump out a fraction of the water in the well.”

When asked, a senior official from Area 7 of Chennai Metro Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB), said that a sewer manhole link collapse in the area had caused the issue. “However, we have set it right. It took us a few days, but we have solved the issue completely,” he added.