Korattur: Untreated effluents contaminate groundwater

Chennai: In an ironic situation, Korattur residents are inaccessible to hygienic water, even though the city has received moderate rains for the last  two days.

Untreated industrial effluents from Ambattur estate reaching the stormwater drains of Korattur has contaminated groundwater, forcing residents to ignore the stench and oil in the water.

Effluents, which was reaching the Korattur lake through the canal,  is now inundating Tamil Nadu Housing Board (TNHB) colony, as the public works department has blocked the canal, to restore the lake.

Through the half-constructed stor water drains, polluted water reaches TNHB Colony as the officials have opened the bunds at Perumal temple here.

Narrating their ordeal, Syed Hassan, secretary of Korattur resident welfare association said, "Rather than formulating a permanent solution, the officials have adopted a temporary one, which affects the natural course of the system. As the canal is blocked, excess rain water would not reach the lake."

TNHB colony, which has more than 3,500 households, being the eventual sufferers. "Water here has become unfit to drink. It has become a regular affair to buy private cans for drinking each day. For other purposes, we are choice less, but to use the polluted water," said C. Padmaja, a resident. Umpteen numbers of complaints to corporation help line and Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board yielded no response, lamented Syed Hassan.