DENGUE RAISING ITS UGLY HEAD AGAIN
Haphazard dumping of garbage and stagnant water
Residents of Moratuwa, Panadura and DehiwalaMount Lavinia areas expressed concern about the possible danger of Dengue fever due to the breakout of the monsoon rains. They pointed out that neglected land covered with shrubs and the dilapidated storm water drains filled with stagnant water create mosquito breeding grounds. They said the terminal disease was likely to raise its ugly head again.
They pointed out that several Dengue positive patients had been reported last year and had obtained treatment at the Panadura and Kalubowila hospitals.
Degage Lionel Fernando (50) a resident of Panadura said the dumping ground near the railway station was a massive mosquito breeding ground which causes hardship to the the people living along the station road and to the traders due to its nauseating smell. He pointed out that the UC had failed to shift the dumping ground in the heart of the town to another area or to clear garbage regularly. He expressed concern about the side drains filled with garbage preventing the free flow of storm water.
Ariyananda Wijesooriya (48) of Moratumulla, a trader by profession pointed out that vast stretches of abandoned land that were being used as dumping grounds by the families living in the area regardless of its serious threat to public health. He said the storm water drains in Moratuwa municipal area and its environs needed repairs and maintenance.
A resident in Moratuwa town said haphazard dumping of garbage along the beach from Moratuwa to Dehiwala was going on unchecked and that shanty dwellers were responsible for it. He pointed out that shanties along the beach is an eyesore and that the dwellers did not pay any attention on health and sanitation issues which resulted in the spread of Dengue fever and other diseases.
Residents in the coastal belt from Panadura to Dehiwala – Mount Lavinia requested the health authorities and the local government institutions in the area to take legal action against
Public Health Inspectors are carrying on continual inspections and instructing the public on keeping their houses and gardens neat and tidy and free of mosquito breeding grounds
the owners of abandoned land or to workout a mechanism to clear them of shrubs and to prevent haphazard dumping of garbage.
Meanwhile Public Health Inspectors said the health authorities had launched a massive Dengue prevention programme but the public cooperation received was not satisfactory. They said instructions on garbage disposal were not followed by many individuals.
“Public Health Inspectors are carrying on continual inspections and instructing the public on keeping their houses and gardens neat and tidy and free of mosquito breeding grounds. Those who ignored the instructions have been subject to legal action. They have launched public awareness programmes as well.
Blocks of land sold by property developers have been left unattended which had turned into shrub jungles. They expect to sell these land with huge profits. Unfortunately the local authorities do not have any record of abandoned land and it is not possible to take action against the owners. If these lands had been registered with the local authorities we can take legal action against the owners for creating Dengue mosquito breeding grounds” they said.