GCC forms committee to check polluted water bodies

CHENNAI: In a bid to curb the growing water pollution in the city, Greater Chennai Corporation has taken up the initiative to form zonal level monitoring committee. The committee will directly work under the civic body and can take action on illegal sewage connections from the storm water drains in the city.

The committee will be chaired by zonal officers and will comprise of assistant engineers and sanitary inspectors. It will not only work on disconnecting illegal sewerage connections, but its role also include fencing and preventing encroachments, looking after damage in infrastructure, prevention of garbage dumping in waterbodies etc. The civic body is also looking to include members of Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) to be a part of the initiative. In a 2017 amendment to Chennai City Municipal Corporation Act, fines for illegal connections were fixed at Rs 5,000 for ordinary residential buildings and Rs 10,000 for ordinary commercial buildings. The fine for special buildings were fixed at Rs 25,000 for residential buildings and Rs 50,000 for commercial buildings. Whereas, for multi-storeyed residential buildings, a fine of Rs 1 lakh is to be imposed, and Rs 2 lakh for commercial buildings.