The Times of India 03.09.2010
No cholera outbreak, says Mayor
CHENNAI: The intermittent rains that lashed the city in August have led to water contamination in several areas of North Chennai. On Thursday, as mayor M Subramanian denied any cholera outbreak in the city, the AIADMK announced its decision to stage a demonstration on Saturday against the government's lethargy in containing water-borne diseases.
A majority of the 70-odd patients being treated at the Communicable Diseases Hospital in Tondairpet are said to be from areas like Tambaram, Puzhal and Maduravoyal while the rest from Pulianthope, Tondiarpet and Otteri in the city limits. "It is normal to see 10-15 people being treated at the CDH for acute diarrhoeal disorders during the monsoon. But there is no cholera outbreak in the city," Subramanian told mediapersons.
With the corporation taking up work on new stormwater drains for about 400 km and the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board laying new sewer lines for about 300 km, there could have been leaks in a few areas, he said. Both the agencies were taking preventive steps by distributing chlorine tablets to be used in drinking water. All those admitted to the CDH were returning home, the mayor said.
The recent rains have resulted in contamination in several areas of North Chennai with Vysarpadi, Tondiarpet, Kodungaiyur, Pulianthoppe, Kanigapuram, Kalyanapuram, Malligai Colony and Samandhipuram colony the worst-affected. "Water in areas like West and East Avenue of MKB Nagar has been smelling bad for more than a week. The government could have arranged supply by tankers in all the affected areas, not confining it to a few colonies," said M Suhashini of West Avenue.
The CDH has registered more than 15 patients from the residential colonies of Vysarpadi alone. According to health officials, at least 14 camps are being conducted in Ezhil Nagar, Kodungaiyur, Korukkupet, Malligaipu Nagar, Vysarpadi, Sathyamurthy Nagar, Narasimhan Nagar and Washermenpet. Officials distributed 20,000 chlorine tablets in the areas where contamination was reported.
According to CMWSSB chairman and managing director Shiv Das Meena, the transmission main carrying treated water from Red Hills to North Chennai burst last week and was rectified soon. "Before we set right the damaged pipeline, water was supplied through tankers in North Chennai. Now, we are ensuring that water is supplied through pipelines and increasing the surveillance level." The quantity of the supply from the Vysarpadi, Patel Nagar and Anna Poonga distribution points has been increased by one million litres a day.
