Beginning October 5, every Thursday will be observed as ‘Dengue Prevention Day’ across Coimbatore district, said Collector T.N. Hariharan.
Launching the mass cleaning drive as part of the Anti-Dengue Day on the Collectorate campus, Mr. Hariharan said that the initiative had been taken as per the direction of Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami and Health Minister Vijayabaskhar to keep the government offices and its surroundings litter-free ahead of the monsoon.
Officials should identify the vulnerable areas where the aedes aegypti mosquitoes breed in houses, especially in broken coconut shells, old tyres and clean water stored in uncovered vessels and take action to eradicate further breeding of the mosquitoes.
The Department of Information and Public Relations had been asked to screen short films to create awareness on dengue prevention.
He also called up on the NGOs, traders, SHGs, and youth groups to cooperate with the district administration to transform the dengue prevention activities into a mass movement among the public.
Hereafter, mass cleaning drive would be undertaken in all the government offices and buildings on every Thursday.
The local bodies including Corporations, Municipalities and town panchayats and village panchayats should ensure enough stock of materials for fogging.
The TWAD Board should mix enough dose of chlorine in water.
Heads of educational institutions, hostels and hospitals were asked to undertake dengue prevention activities on their campuses on a war footing.
The drive would be inspected by the Collector, DRDA PD and DRO.
Over 80 conservancy workers and officials from Coimbatore Corporation were involved in the mass cleaning process.
Nearly 10 tonnes of waste including concrete waste, waste paper, and half a tonne of plastic waste were collected, especially near the old building of the Collectorate, an official in charge of the Health Department said.
Awareness should be created among the public visiting the Collectorate on the ill effects of using plastic cups, bottles and polythene bags, and regular cleaning would help reduce piling up of waste inside, the official added.
