With the swine flu scare adding to the concerns of the health departments in the district, the possibility of epidemic outbreaks are keeping health officials on their toes.

In this connection, the District Medical Health authorities revealed on Sunday that while weekly meetings have been initiated with HMWSSB officials for monitoring sanitation issues, a number of additional measures are also being instituted.

Officials indicated that specific problem- prone areas in Hyderabad district have been identified, and an action plan is being formulated in this regard.

District Medical Health Officer for the Hyderabad district, Ch Jayakumari said on Sunday that the possibility of dengue fever is on the rise in the slums and low lying areas in the Twin Cities.

While officials have reportedly started initiating sanitation drives in low lying areas with bleaching powder and similar disinfectant substances as a deterrent for mosquito larvae, the GHMC officials meanwhile have been given the responsibility of initiating local level drives to alleviate the situation in areas prone to water stagnation. Sources indicated that measures regarding application of bleaching powder may not be adequate to cover all the areas at the local level in the district, and as such, individuals should exercise discretion to sanitise their locality on their own accord.

Jayakumari noted that a team from the Integrated Disease Surveillance Project (IDSP) along with the District Epidemic Cell is presently monitoring the situation in the district, with special regards to waterborne diseases. The central surveillance unit will coordinate the activities of the IDSP at the national level providing technical support, and guidance along with financial support. A number of medical and paramedical staff in Government hospitals have also been deployed to monitor the disease situation in the high risk areas.

Officials said that two mobile teams have been dispatched from the DHMO office, who along with officials from the GHMC have be instructed to keep a watch on individual areas. Mobile Treatment Centres (MTCs) are also being reportedly readied to tackle the likelihood of an outbreak, with special emphasis on schools and slum areas in the district.

Meanwhile, information regarding the administration of oral rehydrating solution (ORS) in the case of disease management is being conveyed at the local area level, in conjunction with Asha workers and medical officers.

The areas that have been identified so far include Aman Nagar, Azampura, Charminar, Barkas, Kishan Bag, Bholakpur, Asifnagar, Borabanda, Viveknagar, Agapura, Ramnagar, Mettuguda, Gudimalkapur among others in the district, informed the Health Officer.

Speaking to reporters after the MIM members were suspended from the House for the day today, MIM floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi said that his party had kept its options open and was even inclined to forge an alliance with PRP and LSP. “We have contested alone in the previous elections,’’ Akbar said.

MIM has always been the single largest party in Hyderabad and it has been a decisive force in the city, he said.

He alleged that both the Congress and the TDP ruined Hyderabad. He hinted a possible post-poll tie up with others. He recalled that MIM got support both from Congress and the TDP in the past in the MCH. Asked whether the MIM would take the support of TDP after the elections, Akbar said that all the options were open.

He alleged that though the State Government earned around Rs 13,000 crore through the sale of lands in the Hyderabad, it spent nothing for the development of the city.

Akbaruddin alleged that the Speaker did not allow him to speak in the Assembly today when he wanted to know the number of houses allotted to Muslims. He found fault with the way Speaker N Kiran Kumar Reddy was running the House.

Akbar alleged that though the Minority Welfare Department was sanctioning funds, the amount being spent in the State was meagre. He alleged that houses under Indiramma were not being allotted to Muslims as per their population.

On the development of Hyderabad, the MIM leader said that though the State was collecting around Rs 10,000 crore through taxes from Hyderabad alone, the money was not being spent for the development of the city. ``Where has all the money gone?’’ he questioned.

However, TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu refused to comment on Akbar’s statement that their options were open as far as GHMC elections are concerned.