Citizen connect: SWD near Sunnambu Kolathur damaged, claim angry residents

CHENNAI: While on one hand, the government departments are constructing Storm Water Drains (SWDs) at several locations in the city, on the other hand; a few miscreants have been damaging the drains to pump sewage water into it.

Such an incident recently came to light near Kovilambakkam Sunnambu Kolathur near the Vinayagapuram bus stop.

To finish the SWD construction before the Northeast monsoon, the State Highways Department finished constructing the SWD at Sunnambu Kolathur almost six months ago. The drain from the Pallavaram- Thoraipakkam 200-feet-radial road will carry rainwater into Keelkattalai Lake and Narayanapuram Lake.

Though the SWD construction works are still in progress, it has come to know that the drains have been damaged by a few miscreants, allegedly with the help of a few local body staff.

Speaking to DT Next, J Sankar, a resident of Sunnambu Kolathur said, “There seems to be a hole created in the drain to pump in sewage and other wastewater into it. Before letting wastewater into SWD, the sewage water can be seen stagnant on the road.”

Sankar says not just sewage water, but shops in the area too have been letting the wastewater into SWD.

“Due to this, Narayanapuram Lake is getting polluted which is the main groundwater source for Kovilambakkam and Pallikaranai residents.”

The residents further urged that as Narayanapuram Lake is maintained by the Public Works Department (PWD), action should be taken to close the hole in SWD using concrete and penalise those who are involved in such activities.

Commenting on this, a PWD official said, “We have monitored the SWD construction by the highways department. As the issue is being brought to notice, we will rectify it and warn miscreants.”