All local bodies in Alappuzha have been directed to complete the pre-monsoon cleaning drive by May 20.
The directive was issued at a review meeting chaired by Local Self-Government department joint director Binu John at District Panchayat Gender Park here recently.
The meeting called on local bodies to begin the clean-up with people’s participation at the earliest to prevent dengue outbreaks in the upcoming monsoon season. It urged panchayats and municipalities to hold inter-sector meetings and prepare an action plan immediately.
The meeting asked local bodies to strictly observe ‘dry days’ on Sundays in houses and Fridays in institutions and workplaces. Officials said that ward-level sanitation committees would prepare a list with the names of places prone to waterlogging and garbage dumps and hand it over to respective local body secretaries.
Officials, meanwhile, said that leptospirosis cases were on the rise in the district and urged people to exercise caution. As leptospirosis spreads through the urine of infected animals, people involved in jobs which make them contact with stagnant water and soil should ensure personal protection. People with wounds on their hands and legs have been asked to wear protective gear such as gloves and gumboots before working in contaminated environments. MGNREGA employees and those involved in agriculture, cattle farming, sanitation works, and so on have been urged to take doxycycline tablets 24 hours before going to work as per the direction of healthcare workers.
Municipalities and grama panchayats can spend a maximum of ₹30,000 per ward for pre-monsoon cleaning activities. To prevent the spread of vector-borne diseases in areas identified as hotspots in the past couple of years, the local body can spend an additional amount of up to ₹10,000 from its own fund with the approval of the council.
Suchitwa Mission district coordinator K.E. Vinodkumar, district surveillance officer Geena S.N., local body secretaries and Health department officials attended the review meeting.
