With heavy rains and water inundation and accumulation at several places, infectious diseases such as malaria and dengue have been reported from places like Hafeezpet, Nagamanikonda etc. At least 50 cases of malaria or dengue have cropped up in the city over the last several days. GHMC will launch a special drive to curb the spread of monsoon diseases. The health and sanitation wing has identified 500 colonies with 15,000 houses that need to implement various measures in order to ensure proper sanitation. Almost 60 vehicles and support staff have been appointed for general cleaning, to remove garbage and accumulated silt.
GHMC additional commissioner, health and sanitation, L. Vandan Kumar said they are intensifying the sanitation works in order to curb the spread of infectious diseases after the rain and flooding. “We are conducting a special drive with extra vehicles and staff and are concentrating on 500 identified slums and colonies in low-lying areas. The team will clear the garbage, remove debris and clean the silt and sludge accumulated on the lanes and bylanes. Once we clean the area we will sprinkle bleaching powder in the lanes,” he said.
He said last week, there were three cases of dengue and so far about 30 to 50 malaria cases were reported. The cleaning of garbage from the lanes will start in the morning at 6 am and continue till 10.30 am. After 2 pm the sanitation workers will concentrate on removing the silt and sludge from the road, lanes and other bylanes, Mr Vandan Kumar added.
Though GHMC is conducting the drives, it does not have sufficient officials in the entomology and health wing, to monitor mosquito breeding and other health issues in the city. Instead of having an entomologist for each zone, it has only three entomologists and instead of having an assistant health officer for each circle, one assistant health officer is looking after two circles. However, officials said though there are some shortages in the officer level posts, they have enough workers.