The Times of India 10.06.2010
45 new machines to clear clogged sewers
CHENNAI: The Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) will soon procure 45 new desilting machines to clear sewer pipelines and manholes in the city, according to municipal administration and water supply secretary Niranjan Mardi.
He was addressing a special session with party floor leaders and zonal chairpersons of the corporation at Ripon Buildings on Wednesday, following complaints of an outbreak of diarrhoeal diseases in several residential colonies in the city. After the Madras High Court banned manual scavenging, CMWSSB has been procuring desilting machines. The agency currently owns 56 jet rodding machines and 53 desilting machines.
Mardi said the government had issued orders saying local area development funds of MPs and MLAs could be used for purchasing of desilting machines. "Metrowater will get 25 jet rodding machines, 17 desilting machines and three suction-cum-jet rodding machines soon, using local area development funds," he said.
Earlier, chairpersons of the elected ward members from all 10 zones complained about water contamination. Following the heavy rains triggered by Cyclone Laila, complaints of water contamination are pouring in from Tondiarpet, Royapuram, Korukkupet, Ice House, Chindadripet, Velachery and Saidapet.
"There are several areas like Cemetery Road, Royapuram, Mint, Rajaji Salai and SN Chetty Road from where we are getting reports of contamination, but Metrowater lacks the manpower to correct the problem. There is no one to maintain sewer lines in TNSCB tenements," said Shanmugasundaram, zone chairman, Basin Bridge.
PMK floor leader Jayaraman said unauthorised sewer connections to storm water drains would have to be checked, since rain water mixes with sewage and contaminates drinking water supplied by Metrowater. Congress leader Saidai P Ravi said the department should run additional shifts in the pumping stations. "It takes at least two days for the Metrowater staff to identify the source of contamination," he said.
He was addressing a special session with party floor leaders and zonal chairpersons of the corporation at Ripon Buildings on Wednesday, following complaints of an outbreak of diarrhoeal diseases in several residential colonies in the city. After the Madras High Court banned manual scavenging, CMWSSB has been procuring desilting machines. The agency currently owns 56 jet rodding machines and 53 desilting machines.
Mardi said the government had issued orders saying local area development funds of MPs and MLAs could be used for purchasing of desilting machines. "Metrowater will get 25 jet rodding machines, 17 desilting machines and three suction-cum-jet rodding machines soon, using local area development funds," he said.
Earlier, chairpersons of the elected ward members from all 10 zones complained about water contamination. Following the heavy rains triggered by Cyclone Laila, complaints of water contamination are pouring in from Tondiarpet, Royapuram, Korukkupet, Ice House, Chindadripet, Velachery and Saidapet.
"There are several areas like Cemetery Road, Royapuram, Mint, Rajaji Salai and SN Chetty Road from where we are getting reports of contamination, but Metrowater lacks the manpower to correct the problem. There is no one to maintain sewer lines in TNSCB tenements," said Shanmugasundaram, zone chairman, Basin Bridge.
PMK floor leader Jayaraman said unauthorised sewer connections to storm water drains would have to be checked, since rain water mixes with sewage and contaminates drinking water supplied by Metrowater. Congress leader Saidai P Ravi said the department should run additional shifts in the pumping stations. "It takes at least two days for the Metrowater staff to identify the source of contamination," he said.
