Sewage clearance raises a stink on Chennai's OMR

OMR, the city’s IT corridor, was pushed to the brink of a civic crisis this past weekend when 350-odd sewage tankers went on strike, mainly opposing Metrowater’s attempt to regulate them. The strike was withdrawn on Monday evening, but the gaps in the basic infrastructure remain exposed.
The strike affected lakhs of residents who have for more than two decades depended on private tankers for water supply and sewage disposal as the laying of sewer and water pipelines was not completed. Septic tanks were left uncleared and sewage began overflowing on to streets, raising a stench. Private tanker operators had more than 1,000 calls pending from the weekend.
The trouble began after Metrowater told private sewage lorry operators to take bookings only through its network. “Many think tanker operators have gone on strike. Actually, Metrowater prohibited illegal operators from collecting sewage from households,” said a senior official.
The aim was to end raw sewage being let into water bodies as the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Amendment Act 2022 (Tamil Nadu Act of 2022) states it should be let out only into treatment plants. “Tankers with GPS can be trackedand hence it is mandatory to fix GPS trackers on tankers. ”
Besides, tankers must obtain a licence from Metrowater. Officials said the deadline of February was extended following a request from operators and was further delayed due to the intervention of an advocate, also a tanker operator. “More than 250 tankers are in operation officially, and another 150 are illegally operating, especially in the added areas. Metrowater is taking all efforts to reduce illegal operators,” said the official.
Private operators say they have GPS, licences to operate and insurance for drivers and cleaners, but don’t want Metrowater to control their business. “Routing calls through the helpline will delay clearing sewage. Charges are based on distance from the STP and the number of sumps. The government cannot restrict the functioning of private enterprises which follow all norms,” said Sewage Lorry Operators Association chairman T S Arun Kumar. The tankers not only generate revenue by dumping waste in STPs, they also keep OMR and other extended areas clean, he said.
After calling off the strike, the operators submitted a few demands to Metrowater. “We had a meeting on Tuesday and requested laying a proper road to Perungudi STP, creating basic infrastructure for drivers like toilets and opening STPs at 5am instead of 9am. ”