Residents block key road near Ranipet protesting discharge of sullage into open stormwater drain

Ranipet residents block road over sullage discharge. 100 dalit families living in Melapulam Pudur village for 3 decades. Storm water drain built in 2005 to discharge rainwater, but sullage & waste water also discharged. Stagnant water causing health issues & flooding. Residents demand alternative plot to discharge water. Officials promise action against illegal discharge.

Residents at Melapulam Pudur village near Nemili town in Ranipet on Wednesday blocked the Ocheri - Arakkonam Main Road, which is maintained by the State Highways, against open discharge of sullage behind habitation area, posing a risk to the health of senior citizens and children.   

Residents said that more than 100 dalit families have been living in the colony on the outskirts of the village, which has over 1,000 families, for the past three decades. Along with elected representatives, the officials of the Melapulam Pudur panchayat constructed a stormwater drain in the village in 2005 to discharge excess rainwater during monsoon.

A portion of the watershed area, around a four-acre open plot, was identified for the purpose. The plot is located behind the dalit colony in the village. “Due to stagnation of contaminated water in the open land, our children get sick often as the plot has turned into mosquito breeding ground. During monsoon, our houses get inundated once the plot fills up,” said K. Esakki, a resident.  

Initially, the open storm water drain was used to discharge excess rainwater from streets and households in the village. However, over the years, residents started to discharge sullage and other waste water into the drain that connected to the open plot. Such illegal discharge of waste water turned the watershed spot into a sullage pit. The stink from the plot is unbearable, residents said.  

Despite repeated petitions at the weekly grievances meetings at Ranipet Collectorate, residents said that no action had been taken. On Wednesday, a group of residents blocked the Ocheri-Arakkonam Main Road around 11 a.m. As traffic was hit on the route, revenue officials and a police team led by R. Ravichandran, Deputy SP In-Charge (Arakkonam), C. Manimaran and K. Lakshmipathy, Inspectors for Kavieripakkam and Banavaram police respectively, reached the spot and pacified the residents that action will be taken against illegal discharge of sullage water into the drain. 

However, residents demanded an alternative plot to discharge the water from the existing watershed area. “Identifying alternative land is challenging due to shortage of open space. Strict action will be taken against those residents who discharge sullage into the drain,” S. Ravi, Block Development Officer (BDO), Nemili, told The Hindu.