Citizen Connect: With monsoon not far away, SWDs in Chennai's Anna Nagar still not desilted

CHENNAI: With only two months left before the onset of the northeast monsoon to onset, the residents of Anna Nagar East complained that the Chennai Corporation has failed to desilt stormwater drains (SWDs) in the locality. If they don’t carry out desilting work, the area might again witness inundation during the upcoming monsoon season.

“Since the civic body did not desilt stormwater drains in the area, we experienced floods last year. We are going to have flooding in many more areas again when the northeast monsoon comes in full swing this year too. The existing stormwater drain is in bad condition which is filled with debris and waste. The local body is not bothered to clean the garbage dumped in the drain,” said Sandhya Vedullapalli, a resident of Anna Nagar East.

In the area works to lay around 30 feet long stormwater drain is still pending. Residents stated that when they reached out to authorities concerned it was mentioned that funds are allocated only for desilting stormwater drains in the area.

However, these funds have also been exhausted even before the civic body has completed the desilting works. Now the civic authorities do not desilt or renovate the existing drains claiming lack of funds.

“Though the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) is aware that there was inundation during the monsoon season last year, they have not taken any steps to prevent such situations. If the local body did not carry out desilting work, then we would have to spend money from our pockets to desilt the existing drains to prevent floods this year. We are tired of raising complaints to the concerned department and there has been no response,” said another resident of Anna Nagar.

When contacted a senior GCC official said that the desilting of the stormwater drain is going on in many places.

The next phase is expected to commence at the earliest and we have received instructions to complete the works by September.