Chennai: It has been several months since the Rain Water Harvesting project started in Manapakkam. Locals here rue that the project has been progressing very slowly and causing a lot of problems for commuters and residents of the area.
The other major issues in this fast-developing area are traffic, pollution and poor road conditions.
“Travelling on the roads here is a major task; it’s so difficult due to the uneven roads that were damaged by the RWH project. There are a number of schools here, and students find it difficult to commute to and fro. Pregnant women and elderly people face difficulty because of this. This is a major road connecting Poonamallee High Road and Kundrathur High Road,” laments Manoj, a resident of Kolapakkam.
Due to the ongoing work, a huge mound of debris was dumped on the road and it was only recently cleared. Also, many here complain that the pump connections were not given properly.
The people here also receive unclean water, says Amutha, a resident of Manapakkam. “Drinking water has become so dirty after the project started. Children suffer from dust allergy and elderly people with asthma are having a difficult time. It’s also not easy to go out of the area in case of an emergency.
According to M Sundar, the supervisor of the Manapakkam project, the work has been going on for the past six months, and workers are slogging day and night to complete it.
He said there was also pressure coming from the former councilor that locals were writing complaints to him to finish the work early as they were facing traffic issues and pollution because of it. Work is in the finishing stage and there is about 100 meters to cover. It will get over within three weeks, he assures.
When asked about the reason for the delay, he says it is due to the recent hike in sand price. “We were not able to continue the work on a daily basis. But since the issue has been sorted out, we are making the workers put in extra hours,” explains Sundar.