Jamshedpur, July 5: Even as water receded from low lying areas of the city, a jittery district administration, already battling viral menace, is not prepared to take chances against an imminent diarrhea outbreak.
A team led by deputy commissioner East Singhbhum, Amit Kumar visited areas inundated by heavy rains on Tuesday.
Large areas in Sonari, Bagbera and Mango were inundated by the flash flood-like situation.
Kumar directed the officials of various departments to carry out cleanliness of various localities, culverts, drains and other parts of the city within three days.
The DC has ordered that the low-lying areas situated close to the Swarnarekha and Kharkai Rivers should be earmarked so that preventive action may be taken in case of heavy rains and flooding of such areas.
The special officers of all three municipal bodies, Jamshedpur Notified Area Committee (JNAC), Mango Notified Area Committee (MNAC) and Jugsalai Municipality were present during the visit.
This time, administration is planning to take preventive measures pre-hand so that horrors of the flood are not repeated. The administration is working on plans to ensure safety and better flood management system during the monsoon season.
�Though the rains in the city have been normal this time but we are working on a strategy to coordinate in such a way that the there is no negative impact of rains in the city. We will also streamline the functioning of Disaster Management Cell,� said Kumar.
The East Singhbhum administration has also decided to open up a control room that will coordinate with different agencies working to check the effects of incessant rains.
�We are taking preventive measures as this time we are not going to take any chances but steps are being taken to prepare an action plan to combat flood situation. All the notified area committees will supervise the operations in their jurisdictions while the control room will keep in touch with them,� said a district official.
With steel city�s weather at its unpredictable best, there has been a rise in cases of water-borne diseases in the city. He asked local urban bodies namely Jamshedpur Notified Area Committee (JNAC), Mango Notified Area Committee (MNAC), Jugsalai Municipality and corporate sector Jusco providing civic amenities in Tata Steel command areas to initiate fogging in the areas on war footing.
Hospitals in the city are reporting an increased incidence of gastroenteritis (GE) and cases with symptoms of cholera. Water contamination, especially in low-lying areas that were inundated in the recent rain, is said to be the reason. If the reports from the various nursing homes and doctors of the city are to be believed then every day 15-20 cases of dysentery or nausea are being reported.
Majority of the food poisoning cases are witnessed after consuming food and liquids in marriages, get-togethers, parties, picnics and consuming street food and juices, which are easily available at many places in the city.
�We are following the directive of health director in letter and spirit.
Apart from routine drive of spraying larvicidal and bleaching powder in places affected by viral outbreaks and submerged by water we have planned a massive sensitization campaign on public amplifier and distribution of pamphlets about preventive steps against vector and also against hygienic steps like drinking boiled water, avoiding open foods, eating only after washing hands in the affected areas to prevent spread of diarrhea,� an official said.