The Vellore Corporation has taken up the construction of a four-feet
broad channel from Mullipalayam to Palar River, to address the problem
of rainwater stagnation in Shenbakkam Zone.

Complaints of water
stagnation in areas of Mullipalayam and Kalaspalayam under the fourth
zone Shenbakkam, especially during the rains, have become regular.

Rainwater,
along with drainage waste from elevated areas like Kasba and R N
Palayam, has been flowing through this area and stagnating here for the
past two decades, it was said.

Following several petitions from
the public, Corporation officials led by Commissioner P Janaki
Raveendran, engineer Baskaran and Town Planning Officer M Kannan visited
the spot on Wednesday and held inquiries. During the inquiry, the
officials identified encroachments by around 10 houses in Kalaspalayam
area as the reason for stagnation of rainwater flow here. A poclain
machine was brought to the spot immediately and the encroachments were
cleared.

The engineer said that a residential building, a hut with cement walls and seven thatched huts were cleared.

The
Corporation Commissioner said that notices had already been issued to
those houses found to have encroached the space identified for the
construction of the channel. But no steps were taken by the building
owners so far, she added.

She said a four-feet broad channel would be constructed for 120 metres and rainwater would be discharged into Palar River.

A
sum of ` 60 lakh had  been allotted for the work under the Integrated
Housing Shelter Development Programme. The channel work  would be
completed soon to address the issue during the rainy season.