The Deccan Chronicle  11.08.2010

Aug. 10: The spurt in industrial activity, particularly the mushrooming of automobile and IT industries, might have prompted policy-makers to call Chennai the ‘Detroit of India’ but the truth is that even posh areas in the city still remain vulnerable to sewage overflow.

Less than a week back, prime localities like Adyar, Mylapore, Mandaveli, R.A. Puram, Besant Nagar and Tiruvanmiyur, were heading for a near calamitous situation - overflowing sewage leading to waterlogging on the roads.

Wonder why? The lifeline of south Chennai’s sewer system, L.B. road pumping station, almost turned dormant after the concrete bed of its three high-power submersible pumps that discharge sewage out of the metropolis corroded.

In fact, the decades-old pumping station, that was originally meant to be shut down years back, was given a new lease of life in 2007.

The concrete bed of the multi-crore pumping station, designed to last 30 years, crumbled merely three years after capacity expansion. Admitting this, Chennai metro water managing director Shivdas Meena said the station was fully operational and a bend on the concrete bed had developed problems and it would be rectified in a fortnight. However, senior metro water officials, preferring anonymity, said the pumping station was shut down on August 6 and 8 and the board had repaired the concrete bed at its own expense though the contractor was accountable for any repair and maintenance works.

Metro water engineers refused to take up the pumping station work late 2009 citing defects, but yielded to pressure from higher-ups later, the officials quipped, expressing the fear that the concrete bed might develop cracks as repairs done under wet conditions are not long-lasting.

Even a brief cessation of operations in L.B. Road pumping station would throw the city out of gear, as the entire sewer system of posh south Chennai is dependent upon it.

The Times of India  10.08.2010

Residents oppose pumping station replacing park in Tambaram

CHENNAI: While the Chennai corporation is opening parks by the dozen, residents of Amal Nagar in West Tambaram are being robbed of their only park-cum-playground by the municipality which plans to set up a sewage pumping station there.

On Monday last, Tambaram municipality workers dug a huge pit on Friday for the pumping station which is part of the Rs 106.96 crore common underground drainage (UGD) system for the suburb. "It is the only park in this locality. Most residents here are senior citizens for whom the lung space was a big relief. Now, they take their walks on the road. There is no place where they can sit and chat," said 70-year-old S Rajan, a resident.

As the 9,600-sq ft park remained neglected by the municipality, 63 families in the neighbourhood chipped in money to renovate it 20 years ago. They have been maintaining the park since. Over the years, they spent more than Rs five lakh in converting the open space reservation into a park-cum-playground. "Everyone chipped in to renovating it. We also installed children's play equipment and set up a separate courts for badminton, basketball and volleyball. We also erected a compound wall with three-feet high grills. But now, the local body has demolished everything," said Anandraj.

The neatly-laid footpath for walkers and five concrete slabs meant for visitors are dislocated. Most of the lights are either broken or the top portion is missing. Most of the play equipment for children are broken.

However, without any prior notice, on August 6 this year, municipal officials brought down the compound wall and dug a 30-feet-wide and 12-feet deep pit. Residents met officials of Tambaram municipality and also Kancheepuram collector Santosh K Misra on Friday to petition against the conversion.

Tambaram municipality officials told TOI that as the park area is located on a low stream area and hence ideal to have a pumping station. The project also includes setting up of 18 pumping and lifting stations and a sewage treatment plant. "The sewage treatment project will greatly benefit the residents. However, views of all stakeholders will be taken into account," Tambaram municipal chairman E Mani said.