Chennai: With less than a month left for the Tamil Nadu assembly elections, nearly 400 residents of Pallavaram’s 13th ward have decided to boycott voting, citing long-pending civic issues and unfulfilled promises.At the centre of their problem is the neglect of the Ramasamy Chetty pond, a two-acre waterbody, once a key source of water for the area. Residents say the pond is now filled with sewage and regularly used for dumping meat waste. Despite a high court order and a contempt notice, the corporation has taken no steps to restore it.S P Gandhi, president of Pallavaram Residents’ Welfare Association, said, “There are hundreds of visible encroachments on the bunds; however, despite knowing that part belongs to the pond, many have received patta for it.”“Even five years after the Tambaram municipality became a corporation, several basic facilities are unavailable. We get water supply only once in two or three days, and the sewage treatment plant has not been commissioned yet. There is no point in voting for any party,” he said. Poor garbage collection has added to their concerns, with waste not being cleared regularly in several streets. In addition, residents also pointed to a rise in stray dog attacks and freely roaming cattle on main roads, posing risks to both pedestrians and motorists. Repeated complaints to civic authorities and govt officials have not resulted in any action, residents said.
