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Public Health / Sanitation

Keeping a check on mosquito breeding spots

Friday, 25 July 2014 10:03 administrator
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The Hindu       25.07.2014

Keeping a check on mosquito breeding spots

Aedes aegypti larvae found in 150 houses of Atturu ward

With the number of dengue cases increasing in the city, the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is focussing on indentifying mosquito breeding spots and source reduction.

Dengue is caused by Aedes aegypti mosquito that breeds in fresh water. The mosquito is active only during the day.

In a random survey at Atturu ward on Wednesday, the BBMP officials covered 915 houses and found Aedes aegypti larvae in 150 houses. The ward has 1,500 houses with a population of 6,000. Dengue and other fever symptoms were found in 66 households.

15 teams formed

On Wednesday, the BBMP formed 15 teams after roping in staff from the primary health centre, Atturu, and around 75 students from Mirinda Nursing College.

The BBMP’s health officials undertook the survey to identify breeding spots towards source reduction that will go a long way in checking the spread of the disease.

A senior health official told The Hindu that since January 2014, as many as 110 cases of dengue had been reported. The civic body is taking up information, education and communication (IEC) activities to create awareness about checking the spread of the disease.

Surveys being taken up

The official said that dengue cases were being reported mostly from Malleswaram and C.V. Raman Nagar areas. “Most other cases that are reported are sporadic. The IEC activities and surveys are being taken up in areas where more cases were reported,” the official said.

Asked about the two suspected dengue deaths reported from Kadirenapalya, the official said it was still unconfirmed.

“The incidence of the disease is more during monsoon. We are taking all precautionary steps to control the spread of the disease,” the official added.

 

City Corp Workers' Cleaning Leaves Streets Spic-and-Span

Tuesday, 18 February 2014 08:52 administrator
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The New Indian Express              18.02.2014

City Corp Workers' Cleaning Leaves Streets Spic-and-Span

A day after the Attukal Pongala, the city woke up with a fresh breath to witness the clean and wet streets. Many residents wondered, “did it rain after the soaring heat of yesterday!” However, it was no news for some who have been witnessing the overnight magic of the City Corporation.

Kudos to the around 2,500 staff, including the sanitation workers deployed by the Corporation, who fought with the scorching sun and midnight darkness to complete the post-pongala cleaning of the city on Sunday.

The Mayor herself supervised the cleaning activities which started by the afternoon.

According to the Mayor, as many as 2,470 workers, including 1,750 temporary and 720 permanent staff, carried out the removal of the leftovers, including the bricks brought to make hearths, organic and plastic waste materials and swept the roads. The arterial roads coming under the pongala area were also washed by the sanitation workers.

Co-ordinated by Health Standing Committee chairperson S Pushpalatha, the cleaning activities were conducted on the basis of 10 circles that come in the 20 wards which were announced as festival zones. The organic and plastic wastes that amounted to nearly a hundred tonnes were carted away to pre-identified spots in 43 tipper lorries. 

The streets, which were all dusty with ash, were washed  with the help of an artificial rain.

A special rain unit, like the one used in cinemas, was brought for this purpose instead of the traditional tanker lorries used to sprinkle water.

However, the Corporation staff are the ones who should be thanked for making the city as clean as ever. Many were seen carting out waste in baskets and sweeping a few remaining roads late in Sunday night also. Special incentives are given for these staff assigned for the Pongala special duty.

 

Health squads promised in all Kochi Corporation divisions

Tuesday, 18 February 2014 05:19 administrator
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The Hindu               18.02.2014

Health squads promised in all Kochi Corporation divisions

Special Correspondent 

Five-member-strong health squads will tackle public health issues in each Kochi corporation division, if an announcement of the civic authorities materialises.

The annual budget of the corporation has envisioned the formation of such squads. The service of the squads will be available for 200 days during the current fiscal. The squads will focus on health issues identified and suggested by the local councillor.

The functioning of the squads will be subject to social auditing and a public committee will oversee its operations. The squads will also be responsible for cleaning up minor drains in the divisions. With the formation of the squads, the local body would do away with the age-old system of awarding the job to contractors. On an average, the local body spends around Rs. 4 crore for cleaning and de-silting city drains. The squads would do the job in an effective and economic way, said Kochi Mayor Tony Chammany.

The health squads would get a budgetary support of Rs. 3 crore.

The civic administrators are planning to give shape to an action plan for controlling the breeding of mosquitoes in the city. The action plan, which will be formulated with the support of the State government and vector control experts, will focus on controlling the pest menace at its breeding grounds. A specialised wing for pest control and a mosquito control research lab will also be added to the city administration, according to the budget announcement.

The local body has earmarked Rs. 10 crore for mosquito eradication and garbage removal measures.

In her speech, the Deputy Mayor said the city was free of water logging despite Kochi receiving excessive rain during the last monsoon. This was possible, according to her, due to the effective cleaning and dredging of canals. The task of de-silting canals will continue and flying squads of the local body would be asked to monitor the flow of canals and to identify those who are dumping waste in them. The restoration and cleaning up of canals would get a budgetary allocation of Rs. 5 crore, she announced.

 
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