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.