CHENNAI: Tambaram’s dengue-control measures have come under scrutiny after the corporation recorded 67 cases in the first 21 days of September, accounting for one-third of the total number of dengue cases reported within its limits this year.
Several councillors and residents alleged that garbage, sewage and stagnant water continued to provide breeding grounds for mosquitoes despite the Tambaram City Municipal Corporation (TCMC) claiming to have intensified inspections across its five zones.
According to TCMC health officials, 198 dengue cases were reported between January 1 and September 21, including 67 this month. Councillors, however, claimed that the actual number could be higher as many patients were being treated at private hospitals in and around Tambaram.
The issue was raised at the corporation council meeting on August 31, when several councillors expressed concern over the spread of dengue. Mayor Vasanthakumari Kamalakannan and the then commissioner S Balachander assured the council that steps would be taken to control it. Balachander was transferred on September 15 following allegations of tender irregularities.
AIADMK floor leader and ward 65 councillor G Sankar said garbage remained uncleared at vacant plots, allowing water to stagnate and mosquitoes to breed. “Officials are only issuing press statements. To my knowledge, no corporation team has visited my ward to inspect the dengue situation,” he said, claiming that nearly 20 people from his ward were undergoing treatment at private hospitals.
Seconding him, ward 50 councillor M Yacoob said four dengue patients from his ward were referred to the district headquarters hospital on Monday. “The entire city appears to have become a breeding ground for mosquitoes,” he added.
Social activist V Santhanam noted that public-health services were better when Tambaram was a municipality. Although the underground sewerage scheme was introduced to prevent sewage from stagnating in the open, sewage continued to collect at several places, creating conditions conducive to mosquito breeding, he said.
TN Ashokan, an activist from Chromepet, said several stormwater drains were carrying sewage and had become mosquito-breeding grounds. “The drains in Chromepet look like sewage lakes. There is no proper inspection to identify dengue-breeding sources,” he alleged.
Meanwhile, the corporation said its teams inspected houses, construction sites, commercial buildings, schools, colleges, hostels, industries and hospitals across all five zones on Monday. TCMC said fines totalling `1.3 lakh were imposed after mosquito-breeding sources were identified during the drive.
