Greater Chennai Corporation allocates additional funds for North East Monsoon works

CHENNAI: The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has sanctioned Rs 15 lakh for each zone to carry out urgent monsoon related works including repair of motor pumps, electrical items, medical camps arrangements and food expenses during the northeast monsoon season.

The capital city received its first spell on Tuesday, which resulted in inundation in various parts of the city within a few hours of rain.

The local body in coordination with service departments assured that all necessary measures have been taken to pump out the stagnated rainwater in various parts of the city from Monday night.

In anticipation of northeast monsoon in Chennai, the civic body installed motor pumps, tractors, desilted storm water drains, silt catch pits and water bodies across the city. As a torrential downpour witnessed in the first spell of northeast monsoon itself, already many pumps were not functional and led to flooding in the residential areas.

"To carry out the monsoon related petty urgent works like repair of pumps, motors, electrical items for light, fans arrangements, hire charges for generator sets and motor pumps, medical camps arrangements, bailing of water, food expenses and to meet any urgent expenses during the northeast monsoon rains this year, said GCC commissioner J Kumaragurubaran.

On the other hand, as the capital city received an intense spell from Monday night, the corporation officials were working round the clock to ensure there is no water stagnation on the roads.

The sanitary workers were engaged in removing the waste, silts from the catch pits for free flow of rainwater through the drains.

In addition, the civic body desilted the channels to assure free water flow from the residential areas through the existing storm water drains.

Based on the water logging complaints, the department has installed additional motor pumps to pump out the stagnated rainwater in many areas including River view road, Adyar; Ganapathy Siva Nagar at Madhavaram and Harrington Road.

A senior official with Urbaser Sumeet, private contractor of solid waste management for Teynampet to Sholinganallur zones in Chennai stated that as many as 11,000 workers were involved in cleaning the roads and interior streets in the city from Monday night.

Also, we had 100 percent attendance on Tuesday and workers were working round the clock on a shift basis.

To provide food for the people residing in water logged areas, the Chennai Corporation prepared food at the designated kitchens in the concerned wards. Food was distributed to more than 500 to 1,500 residents based on the situation in the wards.

Meanwhile, the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) operated eight water treatment plants, 130 drinking water distribution centers, 22 sewage treatment plants, and 356 sewage pumping stations, which were functional round the clock.

Moreover, drinking water has been supplied to 300 relief centers and 90 community kitchens established by GCC through lorries.

A total of 8,754 water tanks have been filled for public use, and 711 street water supply points have also been provided.

To ensure the quality of drinking water for the public, 900 samples have been collected and subjected to appropriate testing to guarantee safe drinking water.