Tue Dec 24 14:56:16 UTC 2024: ## Tiruchi’s Untreated Sewage Pollutes Historic Canals, Posing Health Risks
**Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, December 24, 2024** – Despite ongoing efforts to expand its underground sewer network, Tiruchirappalli (Tiruchi) continues to grapple with widespread sewage discharge into open drains and historic canals, posing significant health and environmental risks. Numerous households and businesses are illegally channeling untreated sewage into canals originally serving as irrigation waterways, now drastically reduced in width due to pollution and encroachment.
Eight major canals, including the Thennur Irattai Vaical, are severely affected. Residents report that the lack of punitive action against violators has exacerbated the problem, leading to a dangerous build-up of sewage that threatens public health. The situation mirrors the severe pollution of the Uyyakondan Canal, impacting farmers and agricultural laborers who suffer from skin diseases due to contaminated irrigation water.
Recent heavy rains highlighted the issue, causing waterlogging in several areas due to clogged drains. The city’s inadequate stormwater drainage system further compounds the problem. While the Tiruchi Corporation claims to be working on connecting all households to the underground drainage system, residents express frustration over the slow progress and lack of enforcement. A planned sewage treatment plant to address the pollution remains unrealized. The situation underscores the urgent need for stricter enforcement and improved infrastructure to protect both public health and the environment.
First Piper 