Meet seeks to end discharge of sewage into waterbodies

The meeting brought together officials of Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewage Board, Greater Chennai Corporation, the Public Works Department and the Pollution Control Board. 

Representatives of the Chennai Rivers Restoration Trust (CRRT) and office-bearers of residents associations from 13 areas of Chennai discussed various issues related to the sewerage system in their areas. 

The speakers urged the government to take immediate steps to ensure complete treatment of sewage. They said untreated sewage should not be let out into waterbodies. 

They said steps should be taken to prevent the seepage of untreated sewage as this could pollute groundwater. 

Promising action, officials, who also took part in a panel discussion, said the quantity of untreated sewage discharged into water bodies, stormwater drains were being monitored. They said they were also monitoring the quantum of sewage dumping by tanker lorries. 

They also spelt out solutions to the problem, like keeping track of sewage through online monitoring systems, building treatment plants on mission mode, and solving manpower shortage. They stressed the need to raise the level of awareness amongst citizens.