Residents in the area have called on the panchayat to stop the unlawful discharge of sewage into stormwater drains, warning that the situation could deteriorate further.
Residents of Iyyapanthangal have raised concerns about grey water being discharged into the stormwater drain on Oilmill Road. Despite submitting numerous petitions to the local authorities, no action has been taken to resolve the issue.
Senthil Kumar, a civic activist in the area, stated, “Untreated sewage is being illegally released from several residential buildings, particularly gated communities, into the stormwater drains. As a result, the rainwater flowing through this system is becoming heavily contaminated, posing serious risks to both the environment and public health.”
Kumar expressed frustration over the lack of response from the district administration and local bodies, suggesting they may be under political pressure to ignore his complaints. “We have submitted multiple grievances over the past three months, but we have not received any feedback or seen any action taken,” he added.
Residents are urging the panchayat to take measures to stop the illegal sewage discharge, particularly with the onset of the northeast monsoon. “We’ve already experienced the first rainfall, and with more intense storms expected next month, our streets will likely flood with sewage. The civic body needs to act promptly to prevent the situation from worsening and should impose penalties on those residential buildings that are violating regulations,” said another local resident.
In response, a senior official from the Iyyapanthangal panchayat promised to take swift action against those responsible for the violations.