Hurt in 2015, activists, government agencies prepare for the monsoon encounter

The Chennai Metro Water Supply and Sewage Board (CMWSSB), which is playing a pivotal role in terms of pumping sewage and providing Metro Water across the city has been gearing up to face upcoming monsoon. The CMWSSB officials claimed that they have completed all the flood restoration works like repairing manholes, desilting and laying of Metro Water pipes and sewage pipelines.

According to sources, after the Northeast monsoon wreaked havoc last December’s deluge, the CMWSSB was in full battle mode to undertake flood restoration works to a large extent. The heavy rainfall and floods damaged the sewage pipelines and pits that had been dug, led to the sewage water overflowing. Seeking anonymity, a senior engineer of CMWSSB, said that they had completed all the flood restoration works this time. “Over 70,000 manholes, which had been damaged by the rain- affected sewage management systems, were repaired and sewage pipelines, which were broken, were also repaired in a proper manner,” he said. It was also a fact that the heavy rains damaged Metro Water pipelines in many parts of the city and those pipelines have now been restored, the engineer claimed. 

“We have learnt many lessons from last year’s downpour and floods. Based on it, we are taking up works and CMWSSB’s area engineers have been given training on how to handle issues during floods,” he said and added that they would be on standby to clear the issues as early as possible,” the engineer said. “As far as Metro water supply is concerned, we are committed to supply drinking water without interruption this year. Jet rodding machines and sewage suction trucks would be pressed into actions at vulnerable places, if need during monsoon,” he added.

Meanwhile, residents in the city want officials to keep a close watch on Metro Water supply during the rains. “We believe that last year’s rains should have woken up the officials. A lot of residents were pushed from pillar to post for drinking water and many areas became water-logged,” says B Varadharajan, a civic activist. He added that all the departments like corporation and CMWSSB should play main role during monsoon and measures should be taken on a war-footing.