A survey of the breeding spaces, improving fogging and penalty for abuse of storm water drains are some of the measures that the Coimbatore Corporation may take up soon as part of stepping up the drive to control mosquitoes in the city.
As part of these efforts, the Corporation has purchased 20 portable thermal fogging machines, each costing Rs.48,937.
These will enable fogging in areas where there is no access for autorickshaws or other vehicles on which fogging machines bought earlier have been fixed.
Demonstration
Mayor R. Venkatachalam, Corporation Commissioner Anshul Mishra and Assistant City Health Officer R. Sumathi witnessed a demonstration of the machines’ functions.
Dr. Sumathi said the Directorate of Public Health had issued some guidelines on the mosquito control, in view of the diseases caused by viruses or parasites spread by mosquitoes.
The focus was on eliminating breeding space for mosquitoes.
The health official said a mapping of the city’s overhead tanks, septic tanks, sumps, drainage and other mosquito breeding areas would be done.
Culverts too would be covered as these were heavily infested with mosquitoes.
A fresh action plan would be drawn up based on the findings.
Meanwhile changes were being made to the existing one.
One of these was the procuring of stronger larvicides and trying out new combinations of these for fogging.
Eateries would be asked to store water in closed containers and the sanitary inspectors of the Corporation would check how frequently the overhead tanks in these places were cleaned with bleaching powder.
Dr. Sumathi said that Director of Public Health S. Elango had called for a crackdown on the abuse of storm water drains.
People found discharging toilet waste into storm water drains would be fined and even prosecuted under the provisions of the Tamil Nadu Public Health Act, 1939.
There would be a drive against open defecation and urination also.
