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Public Health / Sanitation

Sewage cleaning, a costly affair here

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The New Indian Express  09.08.2010

Sewage cleaning, a costly affair here

BANGALORE :The residents of Horamavu ward have an added task. In the absence of underground drainage facility in many areas of the ward, they have to spend a lot of money on getting the sewage pits cleaned once in six months.

“Getting the sewage pits cleaned is a thankless job. The people who clean the pits demand a lot of money but we have no option but to give in to their demands,” said Rathnamma, a housewife who resides in Kyalasalanahalli.

This is not the only problem. Horamavu, which is one of the newly-added wards of the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), lacks basic amenities.

Most of the roads are yet to be asphalted. For example, roads at Munireddy Layout and Ashirwad Layout need immediate attention. The residents Anjanappa Layout have also demand that the BBMP asphalt the roads, strengthen open drains and make provision for drains where necessary. “The low-lying areas get submerged after even a light spell of rain. It is difficult to use the roads during monsoon,” said Deepak Sebastian, who sells sports equipment.

Stray dogs are the other problem in the area.

The residents of many parts of the ward also face an acute shortage of drinking water.

“The majority of the borewells have dried up. A few of them need immediate repair. We are forced to buy water from private suppliers, who demand premium for supplying water,” said Sherin, a housewife staying at 5th Cross of P&T Layout.

“The BBMP has to take the initiative to provide basic amenities,” said Sharadamma, a housewife.

Tejaswini Raju, the corporator, blamed the BBMP for the problems in Horamavu ward. Tejaswini alleged that the Palike has not released funds for development work even three months after the BBMP Council came into existence. “The need of the hour is to supply water and create an underground drainage facility. I expect the BBMP to release funds for development work as early as possible,” said Tejaswini. The corporator said that the BBMP has taken up asphalting of roads at Hoysalanagar.

“A tender was floated for asphalting work at P&T Colony. I expect the process to be completed in a few days,” she said.

Tejaswini said the groundwater table had touched the rock bottom and many borewells have dried up in and around Horamavu.

“I am taking measures to ensure regular supply of water with the available resources. The water problem can be mitigated if the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) takes measures to recycle water from Horamavu Lake and supply it to the areas where water shortage acute,” the corporator said.

Last Updated on Monday, 09 August 2010 10:28
 

BMC hopes to fight malaria while the sun shines

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The Times of India  06.08.2010

BMC hopes to fight malaria while the sun shines

MUMBAI: The break from the incessant rain in the city may offer the BMC an opportunity to contain the malaria menace.

With the showers halting for a few days, the breeding rate of mosquitoes, the malaria vector, may decrease, say an expert. While the city received a scanty 2.3 mm average rainfall on Wednesday, the amount was similar even on Thursday. The Met department has also predicted less rain till Saturday. "We cannot predict for the next week, but till Saturday, the city and the suburbs is likely receive only occasional showers with the maximum temperature remaining around 32 degrees Celsius,'' said a weather official.

While the current two-day break is hardly going to help civic officials check mosquito breeding, they hope that the weather would continue being like this for a while. "Only if it remains sunny for about eight days will the water accumulated in potholes on the roads evaporate, eliminating the breeding place for mosquitoes. That may prove to be helpful for us,'' said Dr G T Ambe, executive health officer, BMC.

Incidentally, it takes around three days of dry spell to successfully fill up potholes. "As and when we are receiving complaints of any potholes cropping up, we are filling them up, trying to save them from turning into a breeding ground for mosquitoes,'' said additional municipal commissioner Aseem Gupta.

Last Updated on Friday, 06 August 2010 11:28
 

Health first, flyovers later: Minister sets BMC priorities

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Indian Express    06.08.2010

Health first, flyovers later: Minister sets BMC priorities

Express News Service Tags : malaria season, mumbai Posted: Fri Aug 06 2010, 23:48 hrs

Malaria season

BMC workers fumigate Marine Drive police station Wednesday. Minister Jayant Patil agrees that muncipal measures have helped check the spread of malaria this month. Otherwise, he has criticised the BMC for potholes and the ruling Shiv Sena for blaming migrant labourers for the spread. Ganesh Shirsekar
 Mumbai:  Mumbai’s Guardian Minister Jayant Patil today took the municipal authorities on for the second time this monsoon, blaming them for focusing on flyovers and roads rather than on basic facilities like health during the malaria season.

Last week, Patil had driven top BMC officials around the city in his Honda City to show them potholes. On Thursday, he said, “When you are aiming to be a Shanghai-like city, it is not enough just to talk of flyovers and roads. Local basic facilities should also be created. We need to create basic facilities like health.”

Patil, Minister for Rural Development and NCP MLA from Islampur, Sangli, agreed that measures adopted by the BMC has helped arrest the spread of malaria in August, but dismissed allegations by the MNS and the Shiv Sena, which rules the BMC, that migrant labourers were behind the spread.

“The numbers have reduced in August and we will have to monitor the situation over next four-five days. What I have been told is that the high rainfall led to waterlogging, which also led to a spurt in malaria cases. In some cases, it can be seen the measures were not enough,” Patil said, but conceded the BMC is now taking “enough measures” to tackle the situation since it has concentrated its efforts in the seven wards that have reported the highest number cases since July.

Patil said it isn’t proper to blame migrant labourers alone for the spread of malaria. “I had said labourers visit the city for some time and they should be monitored. We need to make sure migrants are checked so that they do not bring malaria to the city,” he said.

The government has also introduced fortnightly health checks on such labourers.

Last Updated on Friday, 06 August 2010 11:21
 


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