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Public Health / Sanitation

Green way to tackle buzzing menace

Friday, 08 March 2013 06:36 administrator
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The Hindu                         08.03.2013

Green way to tackle buzzing menace

Doing their bitStudents of Chettinad Srihari Vikasam conduct a ‘bite-free’ awareness campaign —Photo: N. Sridharan
Doing their bitStudents of Chettinad Srihari Vikasam conduct a ‘bite-free’ awareness campaign —Photo: N. Sridharan.

They began with fogging across the city. Then they sprayed larvicide on breeding grounds. After that came the plan to breed engineered sterile male mosquitoes. On Tuesday, the Chennai Corporation invited expressions of interest from companies to distribute mosquito nets to residents.

And on Thursday, the civic body considered yet another initiative in its long, frustrating and challenging battle against the tiny winged carriers of disease.

This time, the plan is to go green with the distribution of herbs that repel mosquitoes.

Ever year the Corporation spends more than Rs. 5 crore on mosquito control. And yet, despite efforts ranging from the ordinary to the somewhat bizarre, the menace only seems to have increased.

Officials from various departments including the agriculture department have now held discussions with civic body officials to identify species of herbs that keep mosquitoes away. Once these are identified, they will be procured by the Corporation, and all the residential properties of the 10.71 lakh buildings in the city will get these plants free of cost.

Not only are they expected to be effective in repelling mosquitoes, they will also serve as home decorations. Also, some of the species’ flowers or leaves could be used by residents to extract alkaloids and tackle the mosquito menace in their neighbourhoods, an official said.

This step, officials said, will only be one of the many measures the Corporation will take. Distribution of mosquito nets and fogging operations will continue.

The herbal plants are also expected to reduce the impact of environmental damage being caused by fogging. “The use of insecticides or larvicides have an impact on the health of residents and also affect the environment,” said B.M. Rex, entomologist, Spartan Enterprises, a pest control company.

People with wheezing problems and asthma could suffer during intense fogging operations if the insecticide exceeds the permissible limit, he added. The use of chemical larvicide too could be hazardous for fish as well as the environment if used in waterways.

With these challenges to overcome, the civic body believes it is time to go herbal. The city’s residents though, will have to wait and see.

 

Chennai Corporation told to remove debris along Marina

Friday, 08 March 2013 06:30 administrator
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The Hindu                         08.03.2013

Chennai Corporation told to remove debris along Marina

R.Sivaraman 

The National Green Tribunal, Southern Bench, on Thursday pulled up the authorities including the city Corporation for the dumping of construction debris for laying roads on Marina beach and directed the civic body to remove such debris within three weeks.

The Bench comprising its judicial member Justice M.Chockalingam and expert member R.Nagendran was hearing an application filed by K.Saravanan of Ururkuppam. He sought a direction against construction of an illegal road by dumping debris on the eco-sensitive Srinivasapuram beach near Adyar Estuary.

On Thursday, the applicant brought to the notice of Tribunal on the continued dumping on Pattinapakkam beach in spite of the Tribunal’s order. However, counsel for the Corporation contended that the civic authority had already begun the removal of debris.

Mr. Chockalingam observed that the Marina was one of largest beaches in the world. “A lot of people go for walking there, it is not place meant for dumping.”

 

Chennai corporation rushes to net mosquito menace

Thursday, 07 March 2013 06:53 administrator
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The Hindu                              07.03.2013

Chennai corporation rushes to net mosquito menace

Staff Reporter 

In a hurry to cope with mosquito menace in the city, the Chennai Corporation has called for expression of interest from manufacturers to facilitate distribution of free mosquito nets to poor residents living along the city’s waterways.

Lakhs of mosquito nets will soon be distributed to residents free of cost. According to a press release on Tuesday, the Corporation has invited expression of interest for manufacture of polyethylene mosquito nets, with a minimum mesh count of 156 (156 holes per square inch).

The holes in netting with this mesh count are usually neither round nor square, and may be quite irregular in shape and size. They have a diameter of about 2 mm and provide an effective barrier to most Anopheles mosquitoes.

The nets supplied will prevent vector entry and have dimensional stability after washing. Made with strong netting materials and seams, they will retain their strength over many years and ensure safety for users.

The Corporation Council recently passed a resolution to distribute mosquito nets to residents along16 minor and major waterways including the Cooum and Adyar rivers and the Buckingham Canal. According to health department officials, the initiative is likely to prove the most cost-effective way of battling mosquito menace in an environment-friendly manner. People who cannot afford repellents are likely to benefit from this scheme.

The move followed reports that fogging operations were not effective in tackling mosquitoes in some areas.

Last Updated on Thursday, 07 March 2013 06:55
 
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