CHENNAI: Rains bid adieu, but mosquito menace continues

By G Saravanan

Published in The New Indian Express, Chennai on November 10, 2011:

Source:http://expressbuzz.com/cities/chennai/rains-bid-adieu-but-mosquito-menace-continues/331614.html

CHENNAI: While the City Corporation has been hailed by the city residents for its swift action in removing heavy water-logging from different areas after the recent rains, it has been at the receiving end for miserably failing to check the mosquito menace that has been affecting the city during the last few days.

Though the civic body’s Health Department is in  denial mode over the spurt in mosquitoes due to water stagnation in its storm water drains, there have been reports of the menace from all parts of the city, especially from areas located near canals.

“Due to the Corporation Health Department’s lethargic attitude in spraying medicine and fogging, mosquitoes are very common in MKB Nagar, Vyasarpadi, Erukanchery and several interior parts of Kodungaiyur. But it has increased several fold in the last few days alone and locals are at the risk of being affected by malaria and dengue,” Bose, a resident of MKB Nagar, told City Express.

The situation in North Chennai, especially for those living close to clogged canals and drains near MKB Nagar, Kodungaiyur, R K Nagar and Perambur is nothing less than a nightmare with mosquitoes giving them sleepless nights, said Manikandan, a local resident of Kodungaiyur.

While this was the current status in the neglected parts of North Chennai, it has been no better in South Chennai as well. “Residents of the recently added South Chennai areas like Ullagaram-Puzhithivakkam, Madipakkam, Sholinganallur, Velachery, Injambakkam and Alandur have been under the constant attack of the winged monsters during these last few days,” lamented Gunalan, a resident of Madipakkam.

Besides, complaints of a spurt in the number of mosquitoes have also been received from different parts of the city including Mylapore, Adyar, Nesapakkam, Virugambakkam, T Nagar, Chintadripet, Purasawalkam, Otteri, Aynavaram and Royapettah.

Despite having briefed the Health Department about the sudden spurt in mosquitoes across the city after the torrential rains, the Corporation officials are in denial mode and said that they were awaiting field reports to corroborate public outcry.

While the Corporation Health Department is in deep slumber and is not accepting  complaints from the public, only the Chief Minister can wake them up before epidemics are unleashed, residents said.

Hospitals paint a different picture

The Corporation might be downplaying the number of cases of malaria and dengue in the city, because the monsoon spell is done, but the hospitals have a completely different story to tell. “It’s always after the rains stop or when there is long standing water in an erstwhile dry water body that we see an upswing of mosquito-related cases in our OPD,” says a senior doctor in a Government Hospital. 
This year has been no different. Now, even as the sun has begun to shine constantly after a dismal last week, the  evenings in the suburbs are seeing more closed shutters and doors, fearing these two prevalant diseases. 
While dengue is seen as a larger threat, in terms of the consequences for the patients, a flurry of malaria cases that have come into major private and government  hospitals has left doctors reeling. 
“We have asked some patients to even see General Practitioners, when specialists are not available. But this situation will clear up in a month,” he assures.