Chennai: Ad campaigns to combat dengue

Chennai: The corporation’s health department is resorting to catchy advertorial campaigns to get dengue prevention messages across to the public. Despite these campaigns there has been a two-fold increase in dengue cases in the city this month, compared with September.

On Monday, a recorded voice message of a mimicry artist imitating Superstar Rajinikanth was doing the rounds on the streets of Alandur zone. A few hit songs of the 90s, selected because it had a health theme to it, was also played much to the amusement of passersby.

“We have given a free hand to zonal officials on how they would go about creating awareness,” said a senior official. At the recent car free Sunday on Elliot’s Beach, two Darth Vader lookalikes were seen holding placards, which had messages on dengue prevention.

However, Chennai has had 34 confirmed dengue cases in October (stat as on October 26) which when compared to the 10 confirmed cases from September, points to a different health picture than what officials would like to maintain.

“Dengue has a three year cycle where it spikes. In 2012 was when we had the highest number of cases and it is only normal to expect the cases to spike this year,” said an official. “But the difference is that we have studied from past mistakes and have conducted larva killing measures vigorously,” the official added.

A control cell is being set up at Ripon Buildings where complaints to 1913 regarding dengue, mosquito menace will be monitored. “We will have even more accurate data than last year,” an official said.

All senior officials of Ripon Buildings hierarchy will be deputed to oversee the health and flood control measures in each zone. “One HoD per zone and a team of officials under him will work towards this. It is a bit like firefighting with dengue but we have all the hands we may need,” an official said.

Are drains ready to handle flood?

In 2014, 588 spots in the city were flooded heavily. Zone nine, Teynampet, was the worst affected. This year, you have the corporation's word that it will be better. “Teynampet could have been worst affected because the road camber was not proper and stormwater drains may have been damaged previously. A lot of these problems, we have managed to correct so we are optimistic that Teynampet will not have the same kind of problems as last year,” said an official.

They are also counting on the fact that in the four years since it came to power, the corporation's current council has completed 821 stormwater drain works. That roughly translates to around 329 km of new storm water drains added to the city's nearly 1,700 km existing already.

But none of it has improved  in the extended areas and officials maintain that the city's newly added areas will suffer during this monsoon as well. The corporation’s integrated stormwater drain project is yet to take off, though work orders have been issued for the Adyar and Cooum basin at an estimated cost of Rs 1,160 crore.

“We are also in the process of widening four canals. But since the monsoon is so close, the pace of work will be affected,” said an official. The three super suckers, operated at a cost of Rs 3,300 per tonne of silt removed are currently being operated on Millers Road, Santhome High Road and GP Road. As much as 4,700 tonne of silt has been removed from 14 bus route roads, officials said.

Officials added that silt not being removed out of storm water drains for several years has resulted in build up. “In one of the roads, the drain was five foot deep but the silt had filled up for four and a half feet. In some areas this issue is perennial due to existence of illegal outlets,” an official said. Officials with hand pumps are  ready to clear stagnant water. “We will rent out 160 hand pumps and place it ready,” an official said.

“Ideally, as far as we are concerned, the Chennai corporation can handle rain damage caused by 10-12 cm of rainfall per day. Anything beyond that is a natural calamity and will be beyond us,” the official added.