The spread of dengue and malaria within Kozhikode Corporation limits during the monsoon was a hard lesson for the civic body, which is planning a massive programme to ward off waterborne diseases the next season.
The ₹60-lakh waterborne disease control programme is almost ready to be implemented. It includes ₹30 lakh to purchase Bacillus Thuringiensis (Bt) from Raidco. The chemical, dissolved in water, is sprayed in areas where there is high mosquito density.
The Corporation has set aside ₹10 lakh to ensure better machinery for fogging. A vehicle-mounted fogging machine, three-hand fogging machine and two small room fogging machines will be purchased soon. There are also plans to construct a hatchery for guppy fishes, which when deposited in waterbodies prevent the breeding of mosquitoes. A sum of ₹5 lakh has been set aside for the purpose.
Health Officer of the Corporation R.S. Gopakumar said the non-availability of suitable machinery was a major hurdle for the Corporation in its pre-monsoon cleaning drive and mosquito control activities. “We had cleaned the drains and the canals to a great extent, but some clogged drains remained, which contributed to the spread of diseases,” he said.
Dr. Gopakumar said the non-cooperation from local residents was another reason for the spread of diseases in some cases. “There were vacant plots inaccessible to officials. They had, over time, become waste dumping yards and thus contributed to the spread of diseases,” he said.
“For the next monsoon, the Corporation will be fully equipped to tackle the situation,” he said.
