Residential plots turn into cesspools after recent rain in Tiruchi

Overnight rain is all it takes to turn plots in several residential areas of Tiruchi into mini swamps, triggering health concerns among residents.

Overnight rain is all it takes to turn plots in several residential areas of Tiruchi into mini swamps, triggering health concerns among residents.

The recent spell of rain has resulted in pools of stagnant water on residential sites, turning them into breeding ground for mosquitoes. J. Milton, a resident of Ramachandra Nagar, said: “Water stagnates after every spell of rain and solid waste can be seen floating on the stagnant water. Strict action to prevent the spread of diseases must be taken by identifying the owners and ensuring that they maintain the plots.”

Similarly, plots at Guru Garden in Settiyapatti, Ramachandra Nagar, K.K. Nagar, Srirangam, Anna Nagar, Mutharasanalur, and Palur are filled with rainwater, making it a breeding ground for vector-borne diseases.

With more rain predicted this week, residents fear that the water level could rise and may take longer to drain, making the situation worse. Civic activists have urged Tiruchi Corporation to instruct the plot owners to level and raise the grounds with mud to prevent stagnation.

Meanwhile, the civic body, as part of its efforts to control mosquito breeding and dengue outbreak, has prepared ‘oil balls’, a mixture of waste engine oil and sawdust packed in small gunny bags, to check mosquito breeding.

The oil balls would be dropped in places where wastewater was stagnant, especially on residential sites. Once dropped, oil spreads over the water surface to form a filament, which cuts off the oxygen supply to the larvae beneath. It prevents mosquitoes from laying eggs in the drain and thereby prevents mosquito breeding. “These oil balls are an effective larvicide, and the initiative will be undertaken on vacant plots and open drains to prevent the outbreak of dengue,” said a senior Corporation official.

Apart from this, the civic body has undertaken an anti-dengue drive to destroy mosquito-breeding sources such as discarded containers, empty tanks and other storage containers. Fogging drive is being carried out using portable machines and high-power fogging trucks in all five zones.