Sathuvachary sewage raises a stink, officials do ‘eyewash work’

VELLORE: Daily life has become a nightmare for residents of Bharathi Nagar, Vasantham Nagar, and Vasantham Nagar Extension at Phase III Sathuvachary as they struggle to prevent the stagnation of sewage in front of their houses.

Sources said that the problem is that the gravity flow in sewage pipes being laid at a higher level results in water flowing towards Bharathi Nagar and stagnating in front of the BM-type houses in the area.

Water from Sathuvachary hills flows into a 30-foot drain, which reduces into a 5-foot line in the residential area resulting in sewage overflowing and even entering houses, according to Kandavel (name changed), a resident of Bharathi Nagar.

“The moment it starts to rain we get ready with spades and shovels to ensure free and steady flow of water,” he said.

“I along with locals have been petitioning Collector P Kumaravel Pandian, who marks the petitions to the department concerned and asks us to follow it up,” DMK functionary RP Ramesh said.

“Whenever we raise the issue, officials come and initiate some steps just to show that they were seized of the matter,” he added. Officials were afraid to act as they knew that a thorough inquiry would expose them and their predecessors, sources said. When Ramesh petitioned a senior revenue official, the latter replied that action would be taken based on need in the next financial year.

“This was because that official has herself encroached on government land in the area,” Ramesh charged.

Though most residents were happy at being able to procure housing at government rates, they are wary of the prevailing conditions.

“The solution is simple, remove the encroachments,” a resident opined.