KOCHI: After failing to check the growing mosquito menace in the city, the Kochi Corporation has decided it is time to try something different. From Wednesday, the civic body will use a new mosquito repellent, Bacto Power, in the city to check mosquito breeding. It will kick start its use at Kammattipadam. Corporation workers will be trained to use the repellent.
Mayor Soumini Jain announced the Corporation’s decision at a review meeting called at the Town hall for implementing the cleaning drive ordered by the government from June 27 to 29. “We used the new repellent on an experimental basis in some divisions and found it effective.
Though the government has directed the drive against mosquitoes should continue for a month, we have decided to take it up for a year,” she said at the meeting. The Corporation has divided the job to monitor the drive among all standing committee chairpersons. Pvt hosps asked to furnish data on diseasesExpressing displeasure over private hospitals’ failure to hand over the data on disease cases in the city to the District Medical Officer (DMO), Jain asked the hospitals to furnish the data on a regular basis.
“Unless private hospitals inform the DMO about dengue and other disease cases, the Corporation cannot take precautionary measures,” she said. Jain also asked the hospitals to provide concessions to BPL cardholders.