...Into the sea

CHENNAI : Jaideep, who regularly visits Palavakkam Beach for a morning jog, was appalled to be greeted by a foul smell mingled with the usual salty sea air. He walked closer to the fishing boats and found the source of the stench. Raw untreated sewage was being drained directly into the sea, gushing from a cement pipe placed underground on New Waterlans Road at Palkalai Nagar.When Express visited the spot, sewage from the pipe was stagnant and choked with garbage and plastic waste. Locals said that four days ago, officials equipped with an earth-mover had dug out a path for sewage to drain into the sea. 

For one year, residents of Kottivakkam Kuppam, predominantly fishermen, were inconvenienced by the constant stagnation of sewage at this spot. Locals had raised several complaints to Chennai Corporation and Metro Water to clear this stagnation. To get rid of this menace, local officials have come up with a rather hazardous solution of directly dumping wastewater from surrounding areas into the ocean. 

“I had also complained to the local officials about the stagnation. But, I am shocked to see the solution they have resorted to. They said in a week’s time they would lay the pipe and bury it under the shore. Instead, they could construct a simple soak pit or get sewage tankers to transport wastewater to Perungudi STP for treatment,” said Jaideep R*, an engineer who specialises in the reuse of wastewater.

However, local fishermen and their families were oblivious to the difference between treated and untreated sewage and were not aware of the environmental implications of this problem. “But, this is what happens in other places in the city too. From pumping stations, sewage is let into Adyar River and Buckingham Canal. As long as sewage water does not stagnate near the place we sell fish, we have no problem,” said N Selvazhagan, a fisherman.

 When Express contacted Metro Water officials from Zone 14, they weren’t aware of such a set-up. “Metro Water is laying only underground water pipes in this area. And Corporation is laying stormwater drains in the eastern side of ECR. We will look into the issue immediately,” said an official.