Mystery fever: Chennai Corporation begins mapping areas

Chennai: The incidence of mystery fever in Chennai ahead of the northeast monsoon has prompted the public health department to start mapping areas reporting fever cases in the city.  Earlier, the corporation would mark areas that report communicable diseases and take precautions.  Now this module is extended to areas infested with fever, a corporation official said.

Doctors attached to private clinics and corporate hospitals have already been briefed to keep the civic body posted when they treat patients suffering from mystery fever and with symptoms similar to that of Dengue, the official said adding that all zonal public health officials have been asked to visit localities that report fever and viral infections during the ensuing monsoon.

On Thursday, Chennai Corporation started a campaign "We eliminate mosquitoes" through its health department aimed to target schools and educational institutions. The corporation as part of anti-dengue and mosquito drive has planned a series of outreach programmes, an official press release said. More than 12 lakh pamphlets on dengue awareness have been printed and are being circulated among public.

Apart from anti-larvae measures such as fogging and spraying of larvicide, the civic body is also planning to reach out to the public through bulk SMSs on monsoon infections and preventive measures. The corporation had also signed up with metropolitan transport corporation to carry health related advisements in its buses. NGOs and schools in Chennai have also been invited to join the civic body in conducting awareness and outreach programmes, the release added.

Reservoir water levels depleting as temperature rises:

Occasional spells in the recent past could have resulted in an increase in water levels in city reservoirs, but the hike in temperature in the past one week has negated the rise. The fast depleting water levels in reservoirs is a boon to private water tankers who charge hefty prices in commercial areas like Mount Road and Poonamallee. According to members of private tanker associations, the demand is high in the tail end areas where metro water pipeline supply is irregular due to faulty pipelines and depleting water resources.

Drinking water augmentation pipe works by Chennai Metro Water Board is delayed in localities such as Anakaputhur and Pammal, forcing people to depend on private tanks. "Groundwater levels are not bad now. We are expecting a rise, as northeast monsoon will set in soon," P.S. Sundaram, president, Metro Water Tanker Lorry Contractors Association, told Deccan Chronicle.

To meet the demand, metro water has increased the supply: seven trips of 360 lorries with 9,000 litre capacity, eight trips of 150 lorries with 6,000 litres and six trips of 20 vehicles with 16,000 litres, said Sundaram. "Demand is high in Velechery, Ambattur and Poonamalle. We supply more than 1,000 vehicles with 12,000 liter capacity each at Poonamalle, Ambattur and Madhavapuram each day," said a member of a private tanker association.

A 20,000 capacity tanker costs around Rs 1,800 at Poonamallee where as it is sold for Rs 2,500 on Anna Salai, said a driver seeking anonymity. Storage levels at Poondy, Cholavaram, Red Hills and Chembarambakkam reservoirs are 87Mcft, 76Mcft, 526Mcft and 725Mcft .