Massive cleaning ops in city

Tonnes of garbage including plastic wastes, house-hold articles, e-waste, plastic carry bags, besides carcasses of domestic animals like cows, dogs and cats, rodents and stagnant sewage water were seen in almost all the residential colonies across Chennai, polluting the environment and posing a threat of outbreak of water-borne epidemic.

People complained of foul smell emanating from the stagnant sewage water, heaps of garbage and choked gutters. The mixing of sewage water along with flood into the sea has turned even the picturesque Marina and Elliot’s beaches “black and filthy.” 

About 1,070 sanitation (conservancy) workers have been asked by the government to report to the city to clear up the garbage. The conservancy workers would be shifted from Tirucharapalli, Erode, Tiruvur, Madurai, Coimbatore, Salem, Vellore, Thanjavur, Dindigul, Namakkal and Tirunelveli Municipalities. 52 garbage trucks will also be moved to Chennai from other municipalities for the same purpose.

The Chennai Corporation’s clean up act saw street cleanup operation together with 2,000 local body staffs and 22,500 Chennai Corporation staff in action on December 6. For this purpose, 121 garbage vehicles and 57 more garbage vehicles from other local bodies were pressed into action. In order to contain the outbreak of contagious diseases, 70 metric tonnes of bleaching powder was spreas. 362 hand fumigation and 42 mechanised fumigation equipments too were used. 

Around 950 complaints of sewerage blockings were reported and action was taken to resolve these problems. 

Armed Forces and the NDRF continued operations to rescue marooned people in the city and its surrounding for the fourth day on Sunday. Reports said about 350 deaths were reported in the state so far. PM Narendra Modi announced Rs 2 lakh each for the next of kin of those killed in the floods.

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) airdropped a total of 800 kilogram relief material to the flood-affected people in Chennai on Saturday. A total of ten air sorties were undertaken on Sunday by Chetak and Twin Engine Advance Light Helicopter for aerial dropping. The aerial dropping of supplies continued on Sunday despite bad weather conditions. 

The ICG ships Samudra Paheredar and Vigraha with relief materials from Visakahapatnam reached Chennai port with 12,000 kgs of relief materials for aerial dropping by choppers. 

Besides this, 60,000 water pouches and 150 cans (20 litres each) of fresh water has also been brought by the ICG ships and being distributed.