Tamil Nadu - Coimbatore   

Clogged drains a major cause for concern

K. V. Prasad

City's sewers need greater focus as part of sanitation

A MESS: Sewage overflows at the Lawley Road junction in the city on Saturday. - Photo: M. Periasamy

COIMBATORE: Voter feedback in the city during polling for the Coimbatore Corporation elections on Friday conveyed widespread resentment over clogged drainage canals and the resultant sewage overflow and poor sanitation.

In less than a day since this opinion was expressed, sewage overflowed at the Lawley Road Junction on Saturday near the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University and the office of the Joint Director of Agriculture.

Problem zone

This area had always been a problem zone, especially during heavy rain.

A clogged underground sewer was said to be the reason for sewage escaping through a manhole at this spot.

After the leak was plugged by removing the block all sorts of waste matter brought out by the surge from the sewer lay scattered on the road.

Making matters worse were the storm water drains that were full of silt. More than a year ago, the junction was the scene of total chaos on a Sunday afternoon during heavy rain.

Clogged underground sewers and storm water drains pushed waste and rainwater to the road and caused heavy flooding.

The agriculture office looked marooned. Vehicles were stuck on Marudamalai Road, Thadagam Road and Cowley Brown Road that met at this junction.

The storm water drain outside the agriculture office was filled with silt and water flowed across the road into colonies across on Marudamalai Road.

The drains were equally worse on that side, adding to the problem that lasted for nearly three hours.

The heavy downpour that afternoon sent an unambiguous warning across the city as to what clogged drains could do to disrupt traffic, business and life.

Yet, clogged drains were still the bane of the city as the now-too-familiar scene at the junction revealed on Saturday.

Sewage stagnation

Sewage stagnated in the choked open drain on the eastern side of Thadagam Road.

Blocks in the underground sewer led to bursts, overflow and stench often on Bank Road.

Passengers bound for the railway junction, employees of the banks on that road and also of a number of Government establishments tested their athletic skills and luck to reach their place of work.

Difficult

Arts College Road that ran parallel to this road was not any better. Sewage leaked from a manhole making walking difficult for lawyers, litigants and court staff and a number of students and shoppers.

People had to walk through filth to three hotels and other eateries on this road.

Clogged drains led to sewage flowing into the North Coimbatore Flyover. Road engineers had pointed out that even well laid stretches got damaged in no time when underground sewers sprang a leak.

Wastewater

The wastewater makes a strong bid to surge upward. As a result, heaving of soil (mixed with the sewage) occurred. It became loose up to the road surface and water escaped through this outlet that became a pothole if the entire problem was left unattended.

The sewage overflow at the Lawley Road Junction only pointed out that a solution remained elusive to a decades-old problem.

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