The first day after the schools reopened for this academic year turned out to be a tiring day for hundreds of Corporation school students here on Friday.
What should have been a pleasant day for young students to share their holiday memories with classmates became a tiresome morning as they were asked to report to school early in the day for participating in a dengue awareness rally organised by Madurai Corporation.
Boys and girls assembled by 10 a.m. near Eco Park, the starting point of the public awareness rally, and stood in line waiting for the guests to flag the event off. Before coming to the venue, they had to go to school and come in batches.
Health department officials, Corporation health officers and a posse of media persons waited for a long time for the arrival of Health Minister V. S. Vijay, who was to flag off the awareness walk. Students, who were already looking tired, sat in their places with banners and posters in hand.
After more than hour of waiting, the convoy, including that of Ministers and top officials, arrived. Along with them came a horde of AIADMK leaders and cadre who dominated the inaugural event. As the event began the tired students got sidelined completely. At 11.30 a.m., the Health Minister flagged off the dengue fever prevention awareness rally and it appeared as if it was a political party show all the way. The rally proceeded to the Corporation Health Centre at K. Pudur and reached the spot after half an hour. A good sign was that the Health Minister and others too walked along with the students.
A free dengue detection medical camp was organised at K. Pudur where women, including pregnant women, were waiting for a long time. The students had nothing much to learn about dengue fever and its prevention since the focus was more on the visiting Ministers and their entourage.
It was all cramped at the Corporation Maternity Centre where some displays about vector mosquitoes and breeding sources were put up. Posters of coconut shells, vehicle tyres, unused utensils and plastic containers at home, which are some of the breeding grounds for mosquitoes which transmit dengue, Japanese Encephalitis, chikungunya and malaria, where put up.
After spending a few minutes, Mr. Vijay and his entourage went into a nearby lane to watch fogging operations. Thereafter, the guests rushed to the Government Rajaji Hospital where a review meeting on dengue prevention was held with heath officials from six districts.
Along with the Health Minister, the others who participated in the rally were Cooperation Minister Sellur K. Raju, Collector Anshul Mishra, Director of Public Health R. T. Porkaipandian, Corporation Commissioner R. Nanthagopal and City Health Officer V. Subramanian.
Students of Kakkaipadiniyar Corporation Girls Higher Secondary School, Ponmudiyar Corporation School and Elango Corporation School were among those who took part in the rally. After the three-hour event, the children were given a biscuit packet and water bottle to slake their hunger and thirst.
