Around 100 residents staged a road roko in Ukkadam here when corporation lorries began dumping drainage into the drains located close to their residences.
Apart from the drainage truck, a dead stray cow that had been lying at the spot for over three days also caused a bit of flutter in the area. The residents demanded that the trucks be sent to the treatment plant.
"We have petitioned the civic body officials several times and the city mayor conducted various inspections as well. But no action had been taken. Several accidents have taken place due to these lorries and the dog menace," said Sadik Ali, ward councillor.
On Tuesday morning, when the corporation lorry tried to dump the sewerage and drainage collected from various wards into the open drains, residents stopped the lorry and staged a road roko.
"Whenever it rains, these drains overflow on to the roads causing not only health hazards but danger to the residents. Moreover, the civic body has spent enough and set up underground drains that connect to the sewage treatment plant. Then what is the necessity to dump the water into the canal that empties into river Noyyal," asked Syed, a resident.
The city engineer, Rajendiran, city health officer, K Santhoshkumar and other engineers visited the spot and held talks with the residents. "There are 55 licensed lorries that collect drainage and sewerage water from the wards that do not have underground drainage connection," said an official.
Rajendiran said that the open drains would be closed with concrete slabs so that the bad smell does not emanate and the water does not overflow into the roads. They would also set up a compound wall so that the corporation lorries do not obstruct the traffic or cause any hindrance to the public.