Tamil Nadu - Tiruchi   

An ordeal, owing to inadequate drainage

— Photo: R. Ashok.

HAZARDOUS: A portion of the rampart on the outer ‘prakara’ of the Ranganathaswamy temple on North Chithrai Street in Srirangam, which collapsed in December 2007.

TIRUCHI: Residents of North Chithrai Street at Srirangam have been facing an ordeal, owing to inadequate drainage.

There are 50 houses on the street and sewage water from all these houses are let into the open drain at the backyard. Absence of proper maintenance of the drainage forms a breeding ground for mosquitoes. The doors at the backyard are always shut, as a precautionary measure against mosquito menace and snakes.

The drainage is a narrow space of six-feet wide, separating the houses from the rampart wall. Local residents call it as the ‘Aradi sandhu’ that runs close to the rampart separating the North Chithra and North Uthira streets.

Intermittent collapse of the rampart is what is compounding the problem, say the residents. The rampart is about 18 feet in height and the thick growth of neem trees and other vegetation has weakened the structure, resulting in its collapse from time to time.

The wall has collapsed four times in the last five years. The wall had suffered damage during 2002, 2004 and in June and December last year. Boulders falling on the channel results in the stagnation of sewage waters.

Another resident complains that rodent menace has been yet another issue, which hinders the free flow of sewage waters. The collapse of the boulders has resulted in huge deposit of sand in the area.

Rats, which make their dens, deposit the soil into the channel, hindering the flow of the sewage.

Quite often, the residents have to rely on sanitary workers to clear the channel.

“But that brings only a temporary relief as the stagnation poses a recurring phenomenon,” says a retired teacher.

He suggested that the problem should be solved immediately and jointly by the temple and civic authorities.

While urgent steps should be taken to renovate the rampart, the entire drainage should be cleared of mud and boulders, residents feel.

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