Date:03/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/03/stories/2008120359110300.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Western suburbs yet to be above water

K.Lakshmi

Though four days have passed after the rain, stagnant water in several areas has not receded

— Photos: K.Pichumani and S.S.Kumar

FAR FROM OVER: Western suburbs are covered under sheets of water. While residents of Akshaya Colony, Mogappair, have to wade through sewage-mixed rainwater, (right) those at Venkatasubramaniam Nagar and Valasaravakkam, are left with stagnant water in their houses.

CHENNAI: The torrential rain that lashed the city last week has left a trail of damage in western suburbs with several areas remaining inundated even on Tuesday.

Though four days have passed after the rains, the stagnant water in areas of Ambattur — such as Gnanamurthy Nagar, Bhanu Nagar, Menambedu, Mogappair and Korattur — has not receded yet.

Residents kept on complaining that several houses still had water inside.

The situation in these areas had worsened since Friday as the surplus water from the Ambattur Lake flowed onto the streets.

Residents said many roads in Korattur closer to the flood water carrier canal were inundated with knee-deep water.

Sewage overflow

S. Vijaya of Korattur said residents also had to wade through sewage mixed rainwater in many streets such as 25th Street.

hough the water had dried up in some parts of Korattur, the roads, including Railway Station Road, have turned unmotorable and slushy.

V. Rajagopalan, a resident of Anna Nagar Western Extension, said areas such as Officers’ Colony and Akshaya Colony were still waterlogged. Residents of Akshaya Colony were the worst affected as the roads were flooded with sewage mixed rainwater.

To add to the residents’ woes, the garbage, which was left uncleared for several days now, posed a threat to health, he said.

Ambattur Municipality officials said that encroachments near the stretch of the canal at Akshaya Colony were being removed for free flow of water. Measures were also being taken to clear garbage and pump out water from affected areas.

Residents of Tamil Nadu Housing Colony, Avadi, also complained of knee-deep water stagnant on many interior roads.

In Valasaravakkam, those areas, including Venkatasubramaniam Nagar bordering Porur were severely affected due to overflow from the Porur lake. Secretary of Venkatasubramaniam Nagar Residents’ Welfare Association M. Sundar said most residents had to suffer stagnant water in their houses.

Motorists travelling to Ramavaram or Porur had to take a detour of 3 km via Jai Garden to escape the water-logged streets, he said. However, the Valasaravakkam municipality had begun pumping out water from the area on Tuesday evening. Residents said they hoped that the area may get dried up within two days.

City Reservoirs

Meanwhile, water discharge from the city reservoirs at Chembarambakkam, Poondi and Red Hills, was stopped on Tuesday. According to Chennai Metrowater sources, the quantum of water released from the reservoirs over the past few days may be equivalent to about two months of city water supply. With the reservoirs filled to the brim, the present water supply of 650 million litres a day can be sustained till October next year.

A Water Resources Department official said about 4,100 million cubic feet of Krishna water has been realised till November 27 when the release from Kandaleru reservoir had to be stopped. The drive to remove encroachments along the surplus course of Ambattur Lake and in Narayanapuram Lake, Pallikaranai, is in progress.