THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Given the high chances of infectious disease outbreak in the aftermath of the flood, the Local Self-Government Department (LSGD) has urged the local bodies, Suchitwa Mission and Kudumbashree workers and Haritha Karma Sena volunteers to undertake cleanliness programmes on a war footing.
As per the circular issued by the department, cleaning drives should mainly concentrate on flood-affected houses, institutions handed over to LSGD, other institutions, public spaces and commercial institutions covered by mud, soil and waste. The responsibility of such activities rests with the respective local bodies.
“Flooding is associated with an increased risk of infection. Chances of an outbreak of typhoid fever, cholera, leptospirosis, malaria, dengue and dengue haemorrhagic fever, yellow fever and others are high. Thus, prevention and control is the key. Ensuring cleanliness is the first step towards the same,” said an LSGD officer.
The recommendations include, ensuring adequate number of temporary toilets at relief camps, coordination with the district administration for taking up cleaning drives, safe disposal of food remains at relief camps, segregation of non-biodegradable waste, roping in Kudumbashree for food distribution at relief camps, constituting ward level volunteer team for cleanliness works and others.
The circular directed the flood-affected local bodies to collect plastic waste and other materials through Haritha Karma Sena volunteers and hand them over to resource recovery facility/material collection facility and then to the Clean Kerala Company.
Cleaning drive
There should be a cleaning campaign representative for coordinating such programmes at the local body level
Cleaning programmes should be undertaken at the ward level
At least 10 squads having five members each will have to be constituted at the ward level
Assistance of NSS volunteers, Asha workers, labour unions, MGNREGA workers, Student Police Cadets and Anganwadi workers/helpers can be sought to bolster cleaning programmes