Sewage overflows in streets around Tallakulam temple

Madurai: Sewage has been overflowing from several manholes on streets surrounding Perumal temple in Tallakulam to the temple grounds, making it difficult for devotees to enter the temple or nearby shops.Residents of Ward 31 behind the temple said the sewage has been continuously overflowing from manholes in the area, with water covering the entire road. Vijayalakshmi from Mookkapillai Street said it happens every alternate day. "Even when the water is pumped out from the manholes, the problem crops up again in a few days," she said. Although workers arrive to drain the manholes and remove the flooded water, they called for a permanent solution."The flooding and smell are so bad, it is very difficult to use the road to go to the temple," said Venugopal, a resident. He pointed to Mudaliar E Street and Asari Street, where sewage stagnation was extremely severe, and it became a breeding ground for mosquitoes. "Mosquitoes make it impossible to step out of the house in the evening. We lock our doors and windows to prevent them from entering, but with little success," he said. The water flowed from the streets to the Perumal temple grounds. Shopkeepers nearby said water remained stagnant for hours before it dried up.An official from the city corporation said that a super sucker machine will be deployed in the area to drain overflowing sewage, and steps will be taken to prevent manholes from overflowing. "We are also stepping up fogging drives to prevent mosquitoes from becoming a large menace in the area," the official added.