NO SIGN OF RECEDING: The water which overflowed from Retteri, Kolathur, remains stagnant in residential colonies of Peravallur on Saturday. — Photo: K. Pichumani

CHENNAI: The scramble for food supplied by relief workers at the Chennai Corporation school in Thiru-vi-ka Nagar in Pulianthope on Saturday afternoon was indication of the growing restlessness among residents of the low-lying areas of the city.

Just seconds after an Army vehicle carrying food supplies stopped near the school, local residents swarmed the vehicle with the utensils they could salvage and questions about when power supply would be restored. They foul-mouthed all political parties and even dared politicians to set foot in the locality for canvassing during the next elections.

"We have been without power supply for three days. There are small children here and milk is not available," a woman, latching on to her infant and a crumpled aluminium plate, bawled.

The situation was only slightly better off along the DeMellows Road and Pulianthope Road. Water that was chest-deep on Friday had slowly receded and was now knee-high. Several residents managed to wade through freely but the resumption of truck and heavy vehicle movement struck a discordant note.

Flood waters receded slowly along the main roads in Vyasarpadi, Pulianthope, Perambur, Kolathur, Velacheri and Madipakkam. North Chennai remained cut off for most people due to severe inundation in some stretches of Perambur Barracks Road and Dr. Ambedkar Law College Road.

Two-wheeler riders found it difficult though heavy vehicles were able to ply but with some discomfort.

Relief workers, bolstered by the presence of Army personnel, were able to reach remote corners more easily than on Friday but were invariably met with angry crowds.

Residents of Thanikachalam Nagar, Kumaran Nagar and Vetri Nagar, besides part of Puzhal panchayat complained that floodwater was hardly receding and that relief workers had not yet reached their homes.

Ebenezer Edwin, a resident of Vetri Nagar, said more than 500 houses were completely surrounded by water in the region close to Retteri.

"There are no signs of the water receding as there is excess flows from Rettri," he added.

Relief workers at the Ripon Buildings, said the top priority now was for garbage clearance in the most affected zone of Pulianthope.

Conservancy workers from other zones were pressed into service as several mounds of garbage, which had not been cleared in the last two days, clogged storm water drains.

Health department officials started spraying disinfectants and clearing dead rodents along the roads. They said they were keeping a close watch to monitor any breakout of epidemics. The civic agency appealed to residents to boil water before consuming it and preferably eat only freshly prepared food.

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