Even as the district administration has come up with preventive
measures to control dengue and other contagious fevers, including severe
action against residents who failed to follow guidelines set by the
Corporation, the uncovered overhead tanks on the terrace of Dindigul
Corporation lodge inside Kamarajar Central Bus Stand has become a
breeding ground for mosquitoes, thanks to ill-maintenance and stagnation
of water.

Three other tanks on the terrace are not covered
properly. The Corporation has been storing water in these open and
partially covered tanks to maintain water supply to lodges and shops in
the building.

With no proper maintenance for a long time, it has
become a breeding ground for mosquitoes. The corporation sanitary
workers neither clean the tank nor spray anti-mosquito repellents to
prevent larvae breeding, alleged shopkeepers.

The Corporation
health officials took stern action against residents who did not seal
water containers in houses. They often slapped fine on owners of private
and commercial buildings within the city limit when they found larvae
in stagnated water in the tanks and containers. But no attempt was made
to even clean the open overhead tanks in the bus stand and contain
mosquito breeding, said S. Murugan, a vendor in the bus stand.

However,
shopkeepers state that plastic tanks installed on the terrace are
closed properly. Lids meant for cement tanks were either damaged or
missing for a long time. No efforts were taken maintain them.

To
worsen the situation, the Corporation garbage clearing workers have
converted an open space between Karur and Tiruchi bus bays inside the
bus stand into a temporary garbage dumping yard, polluting the
surroundings and posing grave health threat to passengers. They collect
the waste from the bus stand and roads around it and dump them at this
spot. Fruit wastes and waste generated from eateries, hotels and tea
shops too are being dumped at this spot.

Now the temporary garbage
yard attracts stray dogs and pigs and become a breeding ground for
flies and mosquitoes. Passengers waiting at these bays to go to Karur,
Tiruchi and Palani have a tough time. Hygiene and clean surroundings are
still a distant dream. The central bus stand was upgraded into A-grade
bus stand last year.