Stretches of the Virugambakkam-Arumbakkam canal, improved a few years ago, are once again being polluted with raw sewage.
Residents of Virugambakkam and Koyambedu complained that raw sewage was being released near Sayee Nagar and Chinmaya Nagar bridge. A. Subramanian, a resident of Bharathiyar Nagar, said sewage was released into the canal through pipelines buried close to the canal bed. This posed health hazards to the neighbouring localities, he added.
The 10-km canal snakes through areas such as Virugambakkam, Koyambedu, Arumbakkam and Choolaimedu before reaching the Cooum river.
Besides release of sewage, blockages were a regular feature in Sri Ayyappa Nagar, Chinmaya Nagar and Bharathiyar Nagar as the old pipelines were unable to carry the sewage load. Metrowater must improve the pipeline capacity and also check illegal sewage release into the canal, Mr. Subramanian pointed out.
Members of the Virugambakkam Residents’ Welfare Association alleged that raw sewage was also being released through Metrowater sewage lines into the canal. The waterway was also being used to dump garbage despite a flood protection wall along the bund.
S. Arumainathan, president of the association, said the release of sewage had only reduced marginally after improvement works were carried outa few years ago.
Besides commercial establishments, the canal also gets raw sewage from Vedha Nagar, Nerkundram. Metrowater however, claimed that the treated sewage is being released into the waterway, he said. Mr.Arumainathan also complained that garbage trapped in the trash boom is not cleared regularly and this too affected the flow of the waterway.
Officials of the Water Resources Department said the canal was desilted as part of pre-monsoon preparedness work between October and December. “ We will take steps to plug sewage outfalls. But, it would also lead to sewage overflow in the neighbouring streets and there is a need to arrest it,” said an official.
Denying release of raw sewage into the canal, officials of the Metrowater said work order has been issued for providing sewerage network in Nerkundram and this would reduce a large load of sewage reaching the canal.