Last year, the city Corporation faced flak from several quarters for failing to take timely steps to contain the dengue outbreak in the capital city, despite advance warning. The district recorded the maximum number of dengue cases, as questions were raised about waste management and sanitation programmes undertaken by the local body.
This year, the Corporation is beginning its disease prevention activities early on, in co-ordination with the Health Department as part of the ‘Jagratha’ project of the State government, which will be launched on January 1.
A meeting chaired by the Mayor, and attended by councillors and officials of various departments, on Friday decided to begin the ward-level activities soon.
The health committee has been tasked with preparing an action plan for the purpose, before December 31.
“Our plan is to devise micro plans for each ward. Ward-level meetings of the sanitation committees formed last year would be held from January 10. The councillors will preside over the meetings.
Junior health inspectors, residents’ association representatives will be among the participants. The areas where there is concentration of waste and stagnation of waste water will be identified. Funds will be allocated on the basis of the work to be taken up in each ward. Last year, funds of ₹1 lakh each was allocated to each ward for dengue prevention activities,” said K. Sreekumar, chairman of the Corporation’s Health Standing Committee.
Mass fogging and spraying activities will be continued. Awareness campaigns will be held in households. Medicines will also be made available. Kudumbashree volunteers will be part of the ward-level activities.
Last year, following the dengue outbreak in May, the Health Secretary had said that advance warnings were issued to the Corporation in December the previous year. These warnings were not taken into consideration, as no preventive action or door-to-door awareness campaign was organised then.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the ‘Jagratha’ project on January 1.
