The Puducherry government has been formulating several important measures to combat dengue in the Union Territory. A number of departments have been brought under one roof to launch a coordinated initiative to prevent mosquito breeding and also to arrest the spread of the vector- borne disease in Puducherry.
One of the measures being implemented is the direction to the owners of residential plots to ensure that water stagnating in the plots is emptied at the earliest as stagnant water is an ideal place for mosquitoes to breed.
The plot owners who draw up plans and get approval from the authorities pay what is called development cess to the municipalities. This cess is meant to promote amenities such as roads, side drains etc. But this is hardly seen although hefty fees are paid to the municipalities.
Unless the municipalities come forward and develop the roads and drainage facilities stagnation of rain water would continue to be a permanent feature and even when plot owners try to empty the water either on to the main part of the sites the water would flow into the neighbours’ plots.
Hence, the municipalities should take up development work on all layouts that had been made after approval from the revenue and other sources.
Working at cross purposes
While the Puducherry government has started clearing drainage and canals to let rainwater flow during the monsoon, Electricity Department and Public Works Department are piling up debris on the roads.
After digging up the roads to lay cables, the departments have left the debris without clearing it in several areas in Puducherry town. This has only created more space for water to stagnate making it un-navigable for motorists and pedestrians.
S. Prasad, S. Senthalir
