QUEEN’S ROAD: Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike has roped in Kannada movie star V Ravichandran to spread awareness about dengue and chikungunya.
On July 30, Commissioner G Kumar Naik, health inspectors and public relations officer Shivasharanappa Khandre visited the star at his residence in Rajajinagar to discuss the campaign.
“People connect with Ravichandran. He does films, a dance reality show and is on a radio programme,” said Khandre. “His reach is wide.”
The BBMP has been spreading awareness about these two viral infections through print advertisements. However, roping in a celebrity will help appeal to common people, officials say.
TV spots of under a minute and jingles with the actor cautioning the public about these diseases are now ready. “We will first release them in various cinema halls, and then on radio and TV channels. We are also discussing the possibilities in print media,” he said.
The TV spot opens with Ravichandran killing a mosquito. He goes on to talk about the importance of keeping one’s surroundings clean and making sure there is no stagnant water around. The dreaded Aedes mosquito, through which the dengue virus spreads, breeds in fresh water. After the elections, new activities are likely to be introduced, the official said. “After August 22, the election hoardings will be taken down, and we will put up those from our campaign.”