A section of the dark side of North Mada Street in Mylapore is treated as an open air bar, a place where men open liquor bottles, enjoy a drink and snacks and then dump the bottles and the food waste on the pavement.
This anti-social activity goes on along the pavement from the Giri Convention Centre and Andhra Bank end to the S. M. Silks store end. Since many cars are parked here through the night, the vehicles offer some sort of screen for the tipplers to enjoy their drinks every night. And these men include vagabonds.
On any given day, scores of liquor bottles are seen dumped on the pavement side.
People also use the place to urinate in the open. And so, the uncleared food waste and urine pollute the entire area. Civic workers do not seen to clean this side of the busy road since the waste accumulates and rots.
People here say that no effort is made either by Mylapore police or by local Chennai Corporation officials to address this sore issue. “Can you imagine an area of a well-known temple zone being used to consume liquor freely and create an unpleasant atmosphere?”, asked a senior resident on this street who wished to remain anonymous.
Recently, a few people have made this street their home. They are seen washing clothes and vessels and letting the dirt water stagnate on the street side. This too pollutes the streetside.
