To prevent dumping of sewage in waterbodies or stormwater drains by lorries, the Tambaram Corporation has proposed to regularise their operation and allow unloading of raw sewage only at the faecal sludge treatment facility proposed to be set up at its sewage treatment plant.

The sewage collection lorries would be allowed to dump the sewage transported from houses where underground drainage (UGD) system is not available at the plant, said Corporation Commissioner M. Elangovan.

The areas in the town panchayats and municipalities comprising Sembakkam, Perungalathur, Madambakkam, Chitlapakkam, and Thiruneermalai have no underground drainage connection. Complaints were being received about the sewage collection lorries illegally letting the untreated sludge in the waterbodies, he said.

As part of regularising the system, a faecal sludge treatment facility is proposed to be commissioned at a cost of ₹13 lakh in the Tambaram STP and permit these sewage collection lorries to let them only in this facility. The facility would be ready in three months, he said.

At present, it has initiated the work of enrolling the sewage collection lorries functioning in the localities. The lorry operators would have to pay a minimum fee to dump the waste in the facility. 

Mr. Elangovan said the system involved fixing global positioning system (GPS) equipment in these collection lorries and tracking the movement of the vehicles to ensure these lorries dump the sewage only in the authorised STP.

Environmental activists and members of the residents’ welfare associations in Pallavaram and Tambaram have been complaining about the rampant letting of sewage into numerous waterbodies, including Pallavaram Periya Eri, Thiruneermalai tank and Sembakkam lake, by the sewage collection lorries.

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Printable version | Aug 11, 2022 8:56:00 pm | https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/tambaram-corporation-to-regularise-operation-of-sewage-collection-lorries/article65758159.ece