More underground drains for Trichy

The demand by people for an Underground Drainage (UGD) system in areas falling under the Trichy corporation is yet to become a reality. Corporation officials, however, say the project to lay a UGD for around 800 sq km is in the pipeline.
Trichy corporation, which is one of the 10 corporations in the state, was made so 18 years ago, in 1994. Since then, it has encompassed 60 wards. During the last local body elections, the wards were increased to 65 following expansions.
The total population of the corporation reached around 8 lakh. When it comes to infrastructure, more than 75% of the areas are not covered by a UGD system. Hence, residents and commercial establishments in those areas are struggling to discharge sewage.
For instance, people in KK Nagar have to cough up thousands of rupees to a private sewage cleaning service.
Unfortunately, many people cannot afford to spend on this service. Hence, sewage gets absorbed and stagnated in residential areas and the situation leads to spreading of water-borne diseases. This is the time people really panic about the spread of diseases like dengue.
Corporation executive engineer (EE) R Chandran told TOI, "We have sent a proposal to the government to get approval for laying a UGD for 800 sq km in the corporation. As of now, a UGD project for 300 sq km was taken up under the National Rural Access Project ( NRAP) and through loans from government organisations. Earlier, a UGD project had been started in 1980 in only municipality areas and in 2005, major parts of Srirangam were provided UGD system. Now, we have floated tenders to construct UGDs in the remaining parts of Srirangam."
A resident, Mani Srinivasan, of KK Nagar lamented, "We languish in an area that does not have even a normal drainage system to facilitate discharge of sewage. Trichy corporation should lay normal drainage pipes until the UGD project gets cleared in order to prevent diseases like dengue."
Trichy corporation is also yet to benefit under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM). S Arunachalam, EE, Trichy corporation, said, "A corporation should have at least 10 lakh people to receive funds under JNNURM. Recently, the norms have been relaxed and corporations that have a 5- lakh population can be eligible. Hence, Trichy may be taken into consideration."
Commenting on complaints against the corporation for not maintaining the existing UGD system, Chandran and Arunachalam blamed the public for allowing solid wastes into the drainage system. The people should also cooperate, they added