Tue Jun 17 19:48:03 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a news article summarizing and rewriting the provided text:

**Chennai Residents Fear Repeat Flooding as Canals Remain Clogged with Waste**

**Chennai, June 18, 2025** – Months before the monsoon season, concerns are mounting in Chennai over the persistent issue of garbage and debris clogging canals in areas like Kodungaiyur and Ezhil Nagar. Residents fear a repeat of previous years’ flooding and sanitation problems if immediate action isn’t taken.

The canals, designed to carry rainwater runoff, are choked with plastic bottles, broken bricks, rotting waste, and overgrown weeds. These obstructions are hindering water flow and creating unsanitary conditions.

“In Kodungaiyur Canal, near Muthamizh Nagar, the situation is dire,” said L.M. Jaiganesh, a North Chennai activist. “Broken plastic waste, tube lights, thermocol, and cement bags are floating and reaching the brim. People face flooding during every monsoon, and even months before the rains, the drains are already full of trash.”

Similar issues plague the canal in Ezhil Nagar, which connects to the Captain Cotton Canal. Weeds and construction debris block a critical water passage beneath a bridge, exacerbating the risk of flooding. Residents say the canal has become a dumping ground, with waste also being thrown by motorists and household wastewater illegally discharged into the waterways.

Jaiganesh warns that unless the situation is addressed promptly, Chennai residents will face waterlogging, dirty streets, and the spread of diseases during the upcoming monsoon. He urged the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) to conduct thorough pre- and post-cleaning surveys of the canals, measure the silt removed annually, and strictly monitor the waterways using drone technology.

In April, GCC officials announced plans to install CCTV cameras in 60 locations to deter illegal dumping into canals. However, residents say that these cameras have yet to be implemented.

The persistent problem of waste-clogged canals highlights the need for improved waste management practices and stricter enforcement of regulations to prevent illegal dumping. Residents are calling on the GCC to take immediate action to clean the canals and implement preventative measures to safeguard the city from potential flooding and health hazards during the monsoon season.

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