The intermittent showers of the past couple of days might have brought cheer to residents. However, the stagnant pools of water in and around residential areas are a grim reminder that a horde of mosquitoes could soon descend on residents.
“Already, there are small pools in my area. Water has been stagnant for last two to three days,” said Siva, a resident of Vyasarpadi. A similar situation prevailed in areas across the city and residents such as Abdul Haleem of Pensioners Lane in Mint expressed the hope that “mosquito control measures will be initiated as early as possible to prevent mosquito breeding.”
Chennai Corporation officials said that routine anti-larval spraying on water bodies and drains and periodical fogging was being taken up. “We have initiated a major programme to remove all the garbage and weeds from water bodies including those belonging to the PWD. If you compare the situation with that of last year, there is a substantial decrease in the density of mosquitoes and larva,” said a source.
Officials of the Directorate of Public Health said mid-term action plan has been prepared in each district. “The plan encompasses monitoring various aspects such as disease surveillance at all primary health centres, government hospitals and medical colleges and private nursing homes and monitoring of mosquito density,” an official said.
The department will prioritize areas, which were affected last year, and identify hot spots within the areas. “This way, we will tighten the surveillance net and create awareness among the public of vector-borne diseases,” he added.
There is adequate stock of larvicide to carry out control measures, said.
