Officials blamed for bad state of Nagalkeni canal

It is a major canal in the area and it carries excess water from Periya Eri to Adyar river at Tiruneermalai. But it lies in a state of ignorance. The canal links the stormwater drains in Lakshmipuram and Tiruneermalai.

Residents said that the canal is in a bad shape, filled with water hyacinth and waste discharged from nearby leather industry. As a result, water stagnates and creates health issues to the public.

“We have been facing the issue for more than a year and no action has been taken to clean the canal. We want the authorities to clear the weeds growing in the canal and stop industries from polluting it. Also, some parts of the waterbody are encroached. This, too, should be investigated by the officials,” said Ramesh R, a resident of Tiruneermalai Main Road.

Residents alleged that a few of the locals dump garbage, including plastic, in the canal. “Earlier, sewage was being mixed into the canal. After filing many complaints, the officials plugged the sewage inlets. But no action was taken against the industries,” said Pugalvendhan, another resident. Speaking to DT Next, a senior PWD official said, “The government has allocated just Rs 5 crore to desilt all canals originating from Adyar and Cooum rivers. As we have limited funds, we are cleaning the canals in phased manner. If we clean the entire canal now, the garbage will accumulate within few months again. So, we are planning to clean this canal by monsoon.”