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Sanitation measures to be stepped up

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM June 20. The City Corporation has decided to step up ward-level sanitation activities during the monsoon season to check the spread of epidemic diseases.

The Mayor, J. Chandra, told the Corporation Council today that the programme would primarily focus on vector control. Replying to a debate on the issue, she said spraying of larvicide would be intensified in all the wards.

Casual labourers would be engaged to clean up gutters and drains and excavators would be pressed into service to desilt canals. Power sprayers will be used to control mosquitoes in the highly infested wards.

Responding to the concern raised by several councillors over the failure to control the stray dog menace, Ms. Chandra informed the council that the Corporation was gearing up for an anti-rabies programme scheduled to take off on July 6.

The debate on the issue was sparked off by an adjournment motion moved by the Ambalathara ward councillor, Poonthura Siraj, urging the Government for immediate action to check the spread of epidemics. Mr. Siraj said malaria, dengue fever, leptospirosis, diarrhoea and rabies were rearing their ugly head in several parts of the city, posing a public health danger. Terming the Government response to the threat as inadequate, he said the Local Administration Department and the Health Department were blaming each other for the situation.

LDF councillors alleged that the Government decision to appoint a Cabinet sub-committee to handle the threat was dictated more by political compulsions than the need to address the issue. UDF councillors hit back by alleging that the Corporation was blaming the Government in a bid to evade the issue.

The UDF council party leader, K. Maheswaran Nair, said the Corporation should focus on utilising the funds and equipment at its disposal instead of condemning the Government initiative. He called for a grassroots campaign for vector control. The Sasthamangalam councillor, Sreekumar, (LDF) said the civic body was hamstrung by the lack of adequate manpower for larvicide spraying and fogging operations.

The Deputy Mayor, Sujanapriyan, said the District Medical Officer who had highlighted the epidemic threat was over reacting to the issue. He said the Corporation was most vigilant against public health hazards. Terming the UDF agitation as a politically motivated action, he sought the Chief Minister's intervention.

Earlier, the Mayor moved an official resolution seeking the Council's approval for a Rs.48 lakh project to construct a foot overbridge connecting the Central railway station with the Thampanoor bus stand.

The Thampanoor councillor, Satheesh, questioned the Corporation's decision to go it alone when the Thiruvananthapuram MP, V. S. Sivakumar had committed Rs.25 lakhs for the project. He said the proposal to widen the Thampanoor- Overbridge road had necessitated a revised estimate of Rs. 48 lakhs, forcing the MP to seek the Corporation's support.

Pointing out that TRIDA had a long- term proposal to widen the road for six- lane traffic, he said this should also be considered while preparing the overbridge project.

The Mayor said the revised project had been prepared to accommodate the maximum road width possible. She said the Corporation had decided to take up the project after the MP had backed out.

Earlier, the UDF benches opposed an official resolution seeking the sanction of 25 cents of land at Jagathy for the construction of a Mayor's Council building. Protesting the motion, the Jagathy councillor, S. Lekha, said the proposed site had been earmarked for the construction of a shopping complex. She warned that the new project would affect the rehabilitation of traders to be displaced for road widening.

The Mayor said the proposed facility was intended to provide conference facilities and accommodation for visiting Mayors and councillors. She said the Jagathy site was identified to avoid delay in land acquisition.

The council also adopted a resolution approving the Memorandum of Understanding for a BOT project to set up public comfort stations at various locations in the city.

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