Corporation Commissioner L. Madhubalan inspecting a storm water drainage channel on bypass road in Thoothukudi on Sunday.
| Photo Credit: N. RAJESH

Setting the tone to remove all types of encroachments from the storm water drainage channels, the Thoothukudi Corporation swung into action by deploying around 400 workers in 50 different locations on Sunday.

Ahead of the northeast monsoon, the civic authorities had planned to clear the encroachments which may be a hindrance to free flow of rain water.

“If the catch pits and chambers in these channels were blocked, rainwater would flow on the road and thus water logging and inundation issues would surface,” said Commissioner L. Madhubalan.

Recently, the Corporation had held a meeting, presided over by Mayor N P Jagan where it was proposed to deploy a majority of the conservancy workers across all the four zones.

Hence, from 7 a.m., apart from the health wing, officials from the engineering division of the corporation supervised the removal of plastic wastes and other types such as used clothes, glass bottles and among others.

The catch pit, which would ensure wastes from entering the channel, was cleared.

As many as 25 vehicles and JCBs were also deployed to clear the debris from the spots, the Commissioner said and added that the objective was to make sure that the channels were free from any type of encroachments. This rainy season the residents should not be put to inconvenience, he hoped.

The next challenge was to begin fogging as it would prevent dengue and other issues in the city.

Engineers at the work site in east zone said that there were huge wastes lifted from the chambers on Railway Station Road and Jayaraj Salai. Likewise, the residents had dumped wastes in Bryant Nagar in south zone and Ezhil Nagar in north zone.

The residents should use the dumper bins and not litter the wastes in the channels, which are meant for smooth flow of rainwater, the officials said.