The Hindu 01.07.2013
Puppets lead the way in mosquito control drive
A mass campaign to tackle the mosquito menace in the city will soon begin, spearheaded by the Chennai Corporation. On Saturday, the civic body conducted programmes in several parks, to create awareness about the menace and means to tackle it. The programme included puppet shows.
“We understood the significance of keeping overhead tanks and sumps closed to ensure they do not become breeding grounds for mosquitoes. This was shown through the puppet show,” said P. Loganathan, a resident of Egmore. Children at the parks also watched the puppets tell them what to do on Sunday.
The shows are part of a new strategy to deal with the mosquito menace during the rains, as a large number of dengue cases were reported last year during the monsoon season. This week, all Corporation officials have been instructed to intensify penal action against owners of properties that are breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Residents who fail to deal with the problem within seven days will have to pay a fine of Rs. 50 and an additional amount of Rs. 10 per day. Before penal action is intensified however, the civic body will conduct an awareness drive in all its 15 zones.
