A kitchen set up for sanitary workers at a government school playground in Uthandi is facing recurring drainage problems just three months after its inauguration. Residents say food waste and kitchen effluent are spilling onto the road, creating an unbearable stench.
The facility began operations in November 2025 despite strong opposition from locals. It functions from a rehabilitation building on the school grounds that was built by the local panchayat in the 1990s, and whose vacant rooms were also used by the school for practical classes. Residents allege that additional structures, including a parking area, were added, reducing space available for students’ playground activities.
A resident, T Kannan of Second Main Road, said the issue keeps returning and is especially persistent in the evenings during the second round of cooking. During a visit to the spot, food stains were seen on the road, and holes had been made in the compound wall to let overflowing waste from the drain or sump flow out.
Workers at the centre said they had reported the matter to their supervisor, noting that the sump collecting kitchen waste overflows repeatedly. They said the kitchen prepares food daily for more than 10,000 conservancy workers employed in the southern region.
Residents’ welfare association SOLVE said no additional drainage tank had been provided and that the existing system was designed only for the school’s needs. Zonal officer Thirunavukarasu acknowledged that leakage issues had occurred earlier and said an inspection would be carried out to resolve the problem at the earliest.
