The Hindu : A breeding ground for disease

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 25, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

A breeding ground for disease

By Karthik Subramanian

CHENNAI, FEB. 24. Pulianthope, Basin Bridge and Tondiarpet — three Corporation zones that constitute a large chunk of North Chennai — contribute to more than 70 per cent of the malarial cases of the city every year.

There are 11 divisions, scattered across these zones, which have been identified as being endemic to the disease.

The high prevalence of malaria, incidentally, is not the only health hazard that residents of North Chennai have to deal with.

Residents of colonies adjoining the Corporation's Kodungaiyur garbage-dumping yard wake up every day to a thick blanket of smoke. A section of rag pickers, who hunt for metal scrap, set fire to the garbage every morning. Smoke emanating from the yard engulf nearby localities, including Patel Nagar, where several schools are located.

O.J. Stanley, president of FORCE (Forum of Civic Exnoras), a congregation of 21 residential associations at Kodungaiyur, alleged that several mini-factories functioning as warehouses were polluting the region and causing health hazards. "These factories operate without licences and pollution control clearances. Skin rashes, asthma, heart and other water-borne diseases are common. Repeated complaints to the local authorities have fallen on deaf ears," he said.

Meanwhile, Corporation officials said efforts were on to stop the open burning of garbage at the yard. In its present budget, the civic agency had set aside Rs. 18 crores for solid waste management. A scheme had been drawn to construct a compound wall to restrict movement into the yard from Thiruvottiyur High Road, an official said.

`Open tanks, a problem'

On malaria, the civic agency's health department officials said sustained efforts were on to eradicate the disease in the endemic areas. "More than 30 per cent of overhead tanks in the region are not accessible and remain open throughout the year. Open water source being the breeding ground for malaria-causing mosquitoes, it is impossible to control the disease without closing them completely. We have already started issuing notices to house owners in this regard," an official said.

The Corporation has also revamped health posts to reach out to a larger number of people. But, it has suspended maternity services in some health posts (Grace Garden in ward 17, Royapuram in ward 18, B.R.N.Garden in ward 25, Harbour in ward 27, Amman Koil Street in ward 28 and Seven Wells in ward 29).

Independent councillor, Syed Masood, said the suspension of services was `shameful' and added that the centres were unable to cater for the poorer sections of the society.

The official said the move was keeping in mind the larger objective of serving effectively. "Most of these maternity centres were handling only a few deliveries every month. It made more sense to divert the manpower to centres that are in greater need of doctors and paramedical staff."

During a recent health camp organised in the Pulianthope Zone, more than 23,000 residents turned up to avail themselves of free medical treatment. As a senior official pointed out, more than the reason to feel happy about the turnout, it was time to ponder over the growing health concerns in the locality.

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