An open drain running alongside Sivagami Nagar in Reddiarpalayam has made life miserable for residents of Puducherry. , photo credit: ss kumar
The stench emanating from storm water drains carrying waste water at Radiyarpalayam is making life miserable for those living in areas along Sivagami Nagar, Morrison Thottam and Villupuram Road.
The nullah, which starts at the intersection of Villupuram Road and Sivagami Nagar and extends till Marial Nagar, is filled with sewage and plastic waste. The boundary wall of many houses in Sivagami Nagar is separated from the drain only by the boundary wall.
The stench emanating from the drain has made the lives of the residents difficult for years. The accumulated water in the drain is full of solid waste which gives sewage smell in the area. What is making it worse is that even houses situated on the banks of the nullah are directly discharging sewage into the nullah, lamented a section of residents.
AG Sundaram, a retired headmaster of a government school, who shifted to a flat in Marial Nagar with his family six months ago, had no idea what awaited them. “The area is well developed, and we were looking forward to move. But this nullah which is located next to our apartment has become a curse for us, causing health problems.”
Most of the houses which are located on the banks of the nullah have their windows closed and covered with wire mesh.
“We cannot open the windows in the morning as the wind brings foul smell to the houses in the area. Open drains have also become a major breeding ground for mosquitoes and little has been done to address the problem. We have informed Olgert Municipality officials about the smell and the mosquito menace, but to no avail,” said M. Ravichandran, another resident.
A section of residents said that the municipal corporation employees, after removing the silt from the drain, dumped it on the roadside. The silt has now become a breeding ground for mosquitoes and the danger is over in the evening. He said that the nullah has become a major health hazard.
A senior official said that the residents were to be blamed for the choked drain. A section of residents are illegally discharging sewage and dumping solid waste in the drain. He said that the local body would soon take up the work of cleaning the drain.