Ronan Kelly
Retired 2020
No cholera outbreak, says Mayor
TNN, Sep 3, 2010, 12.23am IST
CHENNAI: The intermittent rains that lashed the city in August have led to water contamination in several areas of North Chennai. On Thursday, as mayor M Subramanian denied any cholera outbreak in the city, the AIADMK announced its decision to stage a demonstration on Saturday against the government's lethargy in containing water-borne diseases.
A majority of the 70-odd patients being treated at the Communicable Diseases Hospital in Tondairpet are said to be from areas like Tambaram, Puzhal and Maduravoyal while the rest from Pulianthope, Tondiarpet and Otteri in the city limits. "It is normal to see 10-15 people being treated at the CDH for acute diarrhoeal disorders during the monsoon. But there is no cholera outbreak in the city," Subramanian told mediapersons.
With the corporation taking up work on new stormwater drains for about 400 km and the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board laying new sewer lines for about 300 km, there could have been leaks in a few areas, he said. Both the agencies were taking preventive steps by distributing chlorine tablets to be used in drinking water. All those admitted to the CDH were returning home, the mayor said.
The recent rains have resulted in contamination in several areas of North Chennai with Vysarpadi, Tondiarpet, Kodungaiyur, Pulianthoppe, Kanigapuram, Kalyanapuram, Malligai Colony and Samandhipuram colony the worst-affected. "Water in areas like West and East Avenue of MKB Nagar has been smelling bad for more than a week. The government could have arranged supply by tankers in all the affected areas, not confining it to a few colonies," said M Suhashini of West Avenue.
The CDH has registered more than 15 patients from the residential colonies of Vysarpadi alone. According to health officials, at least 14 camps are being conducted in Ezhil Nagar, Kodungaiyur, Korukkupet, Malligaipu Nagar, Vysarpadi, Sathyamurthy Nagar, Narasimhan Nagar and Washermenpet. Officials distributed 20,000 chlorine tablets in the areas where contamination was reported.
According to CMWSSB chairman and managing director Shiv Das Meena, the transmission main carrying treated water from Red Hills to North Chennai burst last week and was rectified soon. "Before we set right the damaged pipeline, water was supplied through tankers in North Chennai. Now, we are ensuring that water is supplied through pipelines and increasing the surveillance level." The quantity of the supply from the Vysarpadi, Patel Nagar and Anna Poonga distribution points has been increased by one million litres a day.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...s-Mayor/articleshow/6482310.cms#ixzz0yPjIZwSe
No epidemic? 80 cases in two weeksSeptember 3rd, 2010
DC Correspondent
Sept. 2: Water contamination and cholera outbreaks in the city might sound farfetched to the city corporation and Chennai Metro Water, but a close look at patient records at the Communicable Diseases Hospital (CDH), Tondiarpet indicates that the recent spurt of diarrhoea cases is reaching endemic proportions.
Over 80 patients have been admitted to CDH for water-borne diseases from areas III and IV in the last fortnight alone, hospital sources told this newspaper, adding that chances of cholera could not be ruled out though the government was unwilling to admit the same.
City health officer Guhanandam said that on an average, they receive 13 diarrhoea patients daily from the two zones. Meanwhile, senior Metro Water officials requesting anonymity said that area III comprising Pulianthope, Perambur, Otteri and Vyasarpadi would continue to suffer as the sewer line in the area is totally choked due to silt accumulation that is causing seepage.
Seepage in sewer lines breaches into the drinking water line that runs parallel when the pressure in the water pipeline is low, sources explained. Much to the surprise of authorities, CDH witnessed a mass (diarrhoea) patient influx during mid-summer this year, a perennial problem the metropolis usually witnesses in the rains.
Admitting to a breach in water pipelines, Chennai Metro Water managing director Shivdas Meena said water supply is intermittent and locals in the area had been advised to store water only when it is released.
?As per CPHO standard, we ought to collect 30 samples for bacterial study, but we collect over 120 samples apart from taking samples from households affected by diarrhoea,? Mr Meena said.
Sewer-desilting works have already been taken up in area III, said Mr Meena explaining that lorries were being used to supply drinking water in the affected areas.
http://www.deccanchronicle.com/chennai/no-epidemic-80-cases-two-weeks-118
TNN, Sep 3, 2010, 12.23am IST
CHENNAI: The intermittent rains that lashed the city in August have led to water contamination in several areas of North Chennai. On Thursday, as mayor M Subramanian denied any cholera outbreak in the city, the AIADMK announced its decision to stage a demonstration on Saturday against the government's lethargy in containing water-borne diseases.
A majority of the 70-odd patients being treated at the Communicable Diseases Hospital in Tondairpet are said to be from areas like Tambaram, Puzhal and Maduravoyal while the rest from Pulianthope, Tondiarpet and Otteri in the city limits. "It is normal to see 10-15 people being treated at the CDH for acute diarrhoeal disorders during the monsoon. But there is no cholera outbreak in the city," Subramanian told mediapersons.
With the corporation taking up work on new stormwater drains for about 400 km and the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board laying new sewer lines for about 300 km, there could have been leaks in a few areas, he said. Both the agencies were taking preventive steps by distributing chlorine tablets to be used in drinking water. All those admitted to the CDH were returning home, the mayor said.
The recent rains have resulted in contamination in several areas of North Chennai with Vysarpadi, Tondiarpet, Kodungaiyur, Pulianthoppe, Kanigapuram, Kalyanapuram, Malligai Colony and Samandhipuram colony the worst-affected. "Water in areas like West and East Avenue of MKB Nagar has been smelling bad for more than a week. The government could have arranged supply by tankers in all the affected areas, not confining it to a few colonies," said M Suhashini of West Avenue.
The CDH has registered more than 15 patients from the residential colonies of Vysarpadi alone. According to health officials, at least 14 camps are being conducted in Ezhil Nagar, Kodungaiyur, Korukkupet, Malligaipu Nagar, Vysarpadi, Sathyamurthy Nagar, Narasimhan Nagar and Washermenpet. Officials distributed 20,000 chlorine tablets in the areas where contamination was reported.
According to CMWSSB chairman and managing director Shiv Das Meena, the transmission main carrying treated water from Red Hills to North Chennai burst last week and was rectified soon. "Before we set right the damaged pipeline, water was supplied through tankers in North Chennai. Now, we are ensuring that water is supplied through pipelines and increasing the surveillance level." The quantity of the supply from the Vysarpadi, Patel Nagar and Anna Poonga distribution points has been increased by one million litres a day.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...s-Mayor/articleshow/6482310.cms#ixzz0yPjIZwSe
No epidemic? 80 cases in two weeksSeptember 3rd, 2010
DC Correspondent
Sept. 2: Water contamination and cholera outbreaks in the city might sound farfetched to the city corporation and Chennai Metro Water, but a close look at patient records at the Communicable Diseases Hospital (CDH), Tondiarpet indicates that the recent spurt of diarrhoea cases is reaching endemic proportions.
Over 80 patients have been admitted to CDH for water-borne diseases from areas III and IV in the last fortnight alone, hospital sources told this newspaper, adding that chances of cholera could not be ruled out though the government was unwilling to admit the same.
City health officer Guhanandam said that on an average, they receive 13 diarrhoea patients daily from the two zones. Meanwhile, senior Metro Water officials requesting anonymity said that area III comprising Pulianthope, Perambur, Otteri and Vyasarpadi would continue to suffer as the sewer line in the area is totally choked due to silt accumulation that is causing seepage.
Seepage in sewer lines breaches into the drinking water line that runs parallel when the pressure in the water pipeline is low, sources explained. Much to the surprise of authorities, CDH witnessed a mass (diarrhoea) patient influx during mid-summer this year, a perennial problem the metropolis usually witnesses in the rains.
Admitting to a breach in water pipelines, Chennai Metro Water managing director Shivdas Meena said water supply is intermittent and locals in the area had been advised to store water only when it is released.
?As per CPHO standard, we ought to collect 30 samples for bacterial study, but we collect over 120 samples apart from taking samples from households affected by diarrhoea,? Mr Meena said.
Sewer-desilting works have already been taken up in area III, said Mr Meena explaining that lorries were being used to supply drinking water in the affected areas.
http://www.deccanchronicle.com/chennai/no-epidemic-80-cases-two-weeks-118