While the city of Chennai has gone all out to prevent an outbreak of vector-borne diseases, the residents of its neighbouring town, Avadi, are struggling with stagnant sewage water and cesspools. The slow-paced storm water drain work by the Avadi City Municipal Corporation has left sewage cesspools open in the Cholambedu main road in Thirumullaivoyal, located to the west of Chennai city, for more than four weeks. Shops alongside the main road have remained shut since the entryway to these commercial establishments is brimming with sewage water. The stagnant sewage water has become a breeding ground for mosquitoes in the area, residents alleged

Sadhikumari, a utility store owner, has closed her shop for the last five weeks because of the stormwater drain works. Speaking to TNM she said, “They dug the place outside my shop and made no alternative arrangements for us to enter, knowing very well that it would have a direct impact on our livelihood. Initially, they said it would be completed in a month, but now they are asking for another month’s time. No work has started on that particular stretch of the road.” Saddled with personal loans and a family to look after, Sadhikumari is now looking at a loss of Rs 2-3 lakh because of the delay.

Other shop owners also raised similar complaints. On the same lane, a Canara Bank ATM stands deserted. “The ATM has been open for the last few weeks. We haven’t seen any security guards either. We don’t know if the machine even has money, but if it does, the money is at risk because robbers might target it at night,” Pushkar, a shopkeeper, said. 

As a result of the sides being dug up, Bharathiyar road, a small road which branches out from the main Cholambedu road, has been flooded with sewage water. Residents from apartment complexes located on Bharathiyar road said they had raised complaints via the helpline but didn’t receive help. Dina, a resident, said, “We had reached out to the circle secretary VM Nagaraj recently. He arranged for mud to be poured on top of the stagnant water, but when it rained in September, the mud eroded, and sewage water flooded the street again.” 

Accompanying the stagnant water are unchecked breeding mosquitoes. “For my house, we have installed new mosquito nets because previously there weren’t these many mosquitoes. There are children and many senior citizens in our apartment. Because of the open exposure to sewage water, we are all at the risk of contracting diseases like malaria and dengue,” Dina added.

When TNM reached out to Mayor G Udhayakumar, he said the works would be completed by the end of September. “We are aware of the sewage water stagnation. But the work will take a couple of weeks to be fully completed,” he said. As of now, the Avadi city corporation has not taken any steps to prevent any outbreak of vector-borne diseases in the area.

Tamil Nadu has recorded three dengue deaths ahead of the monsoon season this year, with the recent casualty being that of a four-year-old boy, who died at the Institute of Child Health, Egmore, on September 9.