‘Toe steps to curb mosquito breeding or face action’

“Regular inspections would be carried out to identify potential breeding sites. If identified, the owner of the site would face legal action. Owners of land or premises should take measures to avoid mosquito breeding,” an official release quoted the minister as saying. 

He urged the public to make the weekly dengue eradication drive a success by their participation to help the state achieve the ‘dengue free’ status. 

“When we undertake this weekly drive, we would be able to sanitise the mosquito breeding sites. The weekly activity had been planned for 6 hours in two slots - between 8 and 11 am in the forenoon, and between 2 pm and 5 pm in the afternoon. It would be conducted in schools, colleges, government offices, hostels, industrial areas, government and private hospital campuses, commercial complexes, and bus stands in the crowded area,” he said. 

The minister suggested discarding any waste item such as flowerpots, used tea cups, unused aquariums, tyres, coconut shells or containers, and clearing the accumulated water in the collection tray beneath the refrigerator, all that could potentially become breeding grounds for mosquitoes. 

“This can be done as a teamwork involving health department, local body, social welfare department, NCC, civil society, and SHGs. A team of 5 to 10 can inspect their residential location where they can remove broken plastic items, unnecessary construction materials stocked, and water storing vessels. They can also cover their tanks holding drinking water,” the Minister suggested. 

Vijaya Baskar said the Avadi Government Hospital would receive an infrastructure boost at a cost of Rs 32.7 crore for the creation of inpatients block, trauma unit, digital x-ray equipment, and ventilators among others.

The Greater Chennai Corporation has intensified their drive against dengue, as the civic body has given a week’s time for the removal of unused vehicles which can be the potential breeding sources for mosquitoes. It conducted an awareness campaign on Thursday among 180 conservancy workers in Adambakkam. 

The unused vehicles parked on the roadside are a potential threat for breeding of dengue-causing mosquitoes, especially during the rainy seasons. The Corporation has given a week’s time for those vehicles to be removed by the owners, failing which legal action will be taken. A release by the Corporation stated that all measures are being taken to prevent mosquito breeding. Nilavembu Kashayam is being given out at government hospitals, bus stops, Corporation schools and Amma canteens. 

Fumigation activity is being conducted regularly while workers are using smoke machines, going door-to-door to stop mosquito breeding in the households. The Corporation has advised the public to cover the water sources to prevent mosquito breeding and ensure there is no water stagnation. Stickers, with information on how the mosquito breeds and ways to prevent this, will be pasted in public spaces, including hostels, marriage halls, zoos and other such areas.

Currently, the Corporation has deployed 2,955 malaria workers and 14,352 conservancy workers on ground, equipped with machines, including 424 handheld sprayers, 218 handheld smoke machines and 34 large fumigation machines. As many as 24,701 houses were surveyed by 922 workers, to check for fever cases. Out of this, 1,084 people had fever and the civic body is monitoring these cases. 

The awareness drive on dengue prevention is going on, as the Corporation is conducting exhibitions in 421 locations across the city. The civic body also checked 143 public places which acted as breeding sources. The Corporation also checked breeding sources in 97 schools and had issued notices to 1,206 persons besides taking action. In Adambakkam, 180 conservancy workers participated in a rally towards dengue prevention.