Restore ponds, rebuild toilets, residents of Sadayankuppam, Burma Nagar, urge Chennai Corpn
Residents of Sadayankuppam and Burma Nagar in Manali demand protection of waterbodies and also fencing to prevent instances of drowning.
The locked public toilet forces senior citizens and pregnant women to walk 1 km to attend to nature's call on open ground
CHENNAI: Manali, one of the most important industrial and residential parts of north Chennai, continues to suffer from water, land and air pollution. The worst is the case of waterbodies and small ponds that are now turning toxic due to indiscriminate dumping of garbage and draining of sewers.
Residents of Sadayankuppam and Burma Nagar in Manali demand protection of waterbodies and also fencing to prevent instances of drowning.
Ten years ago, a pond was created to store excess rainwater. In 2021, a boy drowned in the pond, though the Corporation had installed fencing around it in 2018. And till now, people have been dumping garbage near the pond that’s polluting the waterbody.
“The local body has been deepening, strengthening the bunds and renovating the pathway around the ponds in several areas in the city, but not in Manali. The size of the Burma Nagar pond has shrunk due to encroachment, and the growth of weed like prosopis juliflora. All the requests and complaints made to restore the pond have fallen on deaf ears,” lamented M Kamala Kannan, a member of Makkal Neethi Maiyam.
Denizens also urge the Corporation to build an urban health and wellness centre in their locality. “This is crucial, as we have to travel 4-8 km to either Pudhu Nagar or main road in Manali for even basic treatment,” he added.
Around 600 families are living in the locality, with nearly 200 children and young adults aged between 10 and 22 years using the ground adjacent to the pond. “We’ve been asking officials to renovate the playground with amenities. A park is the need of the hour for children and so is a gym,” opined D Logodass, a resident of Sadayankuppam.
Closed public toilets are a challenge for senior citizens who have to walk at least 1 km to attend to nature’s call. “We defecate in open spaces. At night, it’s worse due to low visibility,” rued a senior citizen of Burma Nagar.
When contacted, an official in the Manali zone told DT Next that plans were on the anvil to deepen and strengthen the bunds of the pond. “Estimates for the project are about to be finalised, and soon tenders will be called out. To avoid any mishaps, we closed the toilet, and advised the people to use the ones located nearby. Proposals are also made for the demolition and reconstruction of toilets,” he explained.
