Chennai: The corporation once again failed to meet the September deadline for distributing mosquito nets to slum-dwellers and the underprivileged in the city, but highly placed sources said the work would begin in 10 days.

The civic body in its council meet on February 2013 announced that residents along water bodies and slums would be provided with free mosquito nets. But the scheme had been dragging feet for last few months. 

“Three contractors have applied for the tenders and the distribution work will commence in another 10 days,” said a highly placed official at the corporation. “A net will  cost around Rs 550 and residents along Cooum river will be primary beneficiaries,” the official added.

However a field level corporation official at the Royapuram zone said they were  yet to get any intimations from the corporation about the scheme. “We have not received any official instruction from the civic body and once we receive it we will start identifying the beneficiaries,” he said.

The scheme will benefit around 78,000 residents in the first phase and will aim to reach up to five lakh beneficiaries. “Mos­quito menace in our area is  prevalent even during day time. We cannot sit inside the net all throughout the day,” said V. Sasi Kumar, a resident of Srin­ivasa Nagar slum at Fore­shore estate. “So curbing mosquito breeding will be a permanent solution," he added.

“This scheme will  benefit us to a larger extent even though the mosquito problem has reduced in our area,” said K. Bharati, a resident of Nochi Kuppam.