Bardez Deputy Collector Uday Prabhudesai chairs a meeting of the Bardez taluka vector-borne diseases control committee. Captured by : The Goan
MAPUSA
Bardez Deputy Collector Uday Prabhudesai has directed officials of Mapusa Municipal Council (MMC) and panchayats in Bardez to clear garbage bins, tender coconut shells, old tyres and other items in their jurisdiction by May, as part of measures to tackle vector-borne diseases in the monsoons.
This was discussed at a meeting of the Bardez taluka vector-borne diseases control committee in the office of the deputy collector on Friday.
Health Officers of the health centres at Mapusa, Aldona, Siolim, Candolim, Porvorim, Colvale and Saligao, Block Development Officer Manohar Parwar, representatives of MMC, PWD, labour commissioner, other officials and GOACAN convenor Roland Martins were present at this meeting.
During the meeting, officials of various Health Centres presented figures of malaria and dengue cases as well as details of ongoing construction projects in their respective areas.
The issue of illegal nurseries and scrapyards was raised in this meeting and it was claimed that these places are mosquito-breeding sites. The issue of tender coconut shells was also discussed and instructions were given to Block Development Officers to ensure that coconut shells, old tyres and garbage are cleared in panchayat areas.
Officials from the Water Resources Department were also asked to clean the main Nullahs in the taluka. Labour inspectors and health officials were instructed to distribute mosquito nets to the workplaces of labourers by organising public awareness programmes on the occasion of Labour Day. Dr Roshan Nazareth said panchayat bodies carry out fumigation in their areas.
After the meeting, GOACAN Convenor Roland Martins said vector-borne diseases are under control in Bardez taluka.
“However, a few cases of malaria and dengue are still found in the taluka. There is a need for the councillors and panchayat members to work with health authorities and implement necessary remedial measures to eradicate these diseases. But the health officers do not always get the necessary support from elected representatives,” said Martins.
