KOCHI: The district administration and district panchayat will conduct a pre-monsoon cleaning drive on May 14.
A meeting presided over by district panchayat president Asha Sanil and attended by District Collector K Mohammed Y Safeerulla took the decision following the spurt in the incidence of dengue and hepatitis cases from across the district. Safeerulla sought the participation of political leaders and government officers for the drive. To prevent dengue, the District Medical Office said families should clean their houses and surroundings and dispose of plastic bottles, coconut shells and other items in which water may get stored, leading to mosquito-breeding. It also asked citizens to clean wells with bleaching powder. Medical experts attending the meet said detecting hepatitis cases was difficult. Urinating in open spaces is a reason behind transmission of hepatitis-causing virus.