With dengue threat looming large in the district even as Rajapalayam in neighbouring Virudhunagar district is struggling to overcome the outbreak, the residents appealed to the civic body administrations to drain rainwater still stagnating in vacant housing plots or in unused lands close to residential colonies. Stagnant water is a potential breeding ground for mosquitoes spreading the dreaded fever.
Since the district experienced good rainfall during the just-concluded northeast monsoon season, almost all waterbodies are brimming with water and rainwater is still stagnating in vacant housing plots in several residential colonies.
As the mosquito, Aedes aegypti, spreading dengue lives only in clear water, the residents’ apprehension can be understood.
Even as the local bodies across the district are waking up sluggishly after Collector M. Karunakaran’s announcement that sporadic dengue cases were being reported in a few parts of the district, the public, who witnessed the impact of dengue and chikungunya in the past, expected the local bodies to act swiftly to neutralise the threat at the earliest.
“Rainwater stagnating in our area provides a firm breeding ground for mosquitos. Even after our repeated pleas to the Corporation and the councillor, no step has been taken to drain the water,” said H. Mohamed Rafiq from Rahmath Nagar.
The residents also want the local bodies to intensify fogging and other anti-dengue operations in the residential areas.
Dr. Karunakaran, who asked the officials to intensify the anti-dengue operations, has started visiting the residential areas to verify the claims of his subordinates on translating his instruction into action.
“Though sporadic cases of dengue are being reported from a few parts of the district, the joint efforts put in by the official machinery should wipe out the threat and hence the officials should work accordingly,” the Collector said.
