Minister reviews dengue preparedness in Madurai

The numbers have not increased this month but there is no respite too, he said. “More works need to be done in both the cities. However, in Chennai, Salem, Tiruvallur and Cuddalore, the number of cases has come down significantly,” informed the Minister. In Madurai district, village panchayats have recorded 41 %, the corporation 49 %, municipalities 4 % and town panchayats 6% of dengue cases. J Radhakrishnan, Principal Secretary to Government, Health and Family Welfare, said that so far, 30,000 notices have been issued to people who had failed to follow anti-dengue measures and a fine of about Rs 2 crore has been levied.

However, State Minister for Cooperation, Sellur Raju, asked the officials not to levy fine heavily and asked them to just give warnings. Madurai Collector, K Veera Raghav Rao, and State Revenue Minister, RB Udayakumar, were also present at the meeting.

With the death of a youth in the Madurai GRH on Wednesday, it is said that deaths due to dengue are continuing in Madurai. The deceased identified as Karthick (32), from Paravai near Madurai, had been suffering from high fever for the past one week. Initially, he was treated at a private hospital near his house but as his condition worsened he was rushed to the Madurai GRH, on Sunday. 

Detection of stagnant water in tyres near the railway track in Vellore cantonment railway station resulted in Collector SA Raman ordering Vellore Corporation Commissioner Kubendran to issue notice to the railway station, on Wednesday. 

The continuing anti-dengue drive saw Raman inspecting the Vellore’s Nethaji Market, Fruit Market and nearby areas. He then visited the railway station and issued the notice. However, there were doubts whether the district head was empowered to issue the notice to a central government entity. Southern railway chief PRO AN Dhananjayan when asked said, 

“As the station falls within the jurisdiction of the district, the Collector has right to advise the station to keep things in order.” Meanwhile, Ambur sub-collector, Valarmathi, slapped a fine of Rs 1. 50 lakh on a private tannery for keeping the premises unclean while notices on the same issue were sent to 10 other leather units.

A search is on for a quack who had reportedly administered a banned medicine to a Class 7 student, who died later on Tuesday night. It is said, K Dhanapakiyam (12) of Ammapalayam, a Class 7 student had fever since Monday and her parents took her to a local doctor identified as J Ravi who is said to be a quack and reportedly administered an injection with a banned medicine. 

Since her condition had worsened even after the medication, Dhanapakiam’s parents took her to the PHC in the locality and later was rushed to the GH in Perambalur where she succumbed around 10.30 pm on Tuesday.