Residents of Joseph Colony in Mylapore, who have been living in slushy surroundings, are dreading the prospect of another spell of rain in the city. Sewage as well as slush can be seen all over the colony ever since the city began receiving rain around a month ago.
The houses in the colony are located around a large open space, where sewage remains stagnant.
“Even with the slightest of rain, the drainage overflows, and since our houses are in a low-lying area, water from the surrounding streets also inundates our street,” said H. Henry, a resident.
Other residents, like A. Mary, said the recent spell of rain a week ago saw the drains overflowing and entering their houses.
“Many of us had to leave the area and go to our relatives’ houses till the water receded. We have children at home and it is extremely worrying if this keeps happening every time it rains,” she said.
She and the other residents point to the stagnant water and slush, and stated that they were extremely worried about how they would leave their house in case of a medical emergency since many vehicles refused to enter the waterlogged area.
Transportation issues
“There was a death in the colony a few days ago, and we struggled to take the body out through the slush. Even people who came to visit their house had to walk through the dirty water,” said F. Nathan, another resident.
A few residents said they had developed sores on their feet and legs since they had been walking through the patch of stagnant sewage every day.
The residents said while the manholes in the area are cleaned occasionally, the silt is left next to it which again results in the drains getting blocked during the rain.
“We want a permanent solution for this,” Mr. Henry said. When asked about the concerns faced by the residents, an official from the Greater Chennai Corporation said that they would reach out to the residents and help them clear the slush.
