Experts assess post-flood situation

SURAT, Sept 24: While maintaining that the authorities were extremely cautious and made concerted efforts to ensure that 1994 was not rep...

SURAT, Sept 24: While maintaining that the authorities were extremely cautious and made concerted efforts to ensure that 1994 was not repeated, speakers at a post flood evaluation workshop expressed surprise and happiness over the speed at which the city and district was restored to normalcy after floods wrecked havoc over the past week.

The workshop, organised by the state government8217;s health department, the Surat Municipal Corporation and the zilla panchayat on Thursday at Gandhi Smruti Bhavan, was attended by representatives of the National Malaria Eradication Programme, the UNICEF and top officials of the state health ministry, besides medical experts.

Principal secretary in the state government Ashok Bhatia, Dr Raina of the National Malaria Eradication Programme NMEP, praised the efforts of the civic body and the district administration for checking outbreak of diseases, a threat looming large over the city.

8220;There are no chances of plague, cholera or any other flood-related diseases breaking out, but we are still in contact with the NICD, UNICEF and the NMEP,8221; Bhatia said. Dr Raina, while expressing satisfaction over the work being undertaken, cautioned that malaria could break out, and authorities should be extra cautious on the front. It takes between a fortnight and three weeks for malaria parasites to incubate, the official stated.

Additional Director, Public Health, J C Gandhi also praised the efforts of the authorities for distributing chlorine tablets, oral doses to the residents. He said proper planning and past experience had helped the authorities tackle the situation better.

Speaking on the occasion, Municipal Commissioner S Jagadeesan, while listing down the work the civic body had done in the past five days, stated that the enormity of the task was even more as while only 20 per cent of the city was submerged in 1994, nearly 80 per cent of the city was inundated this time. While 20,000 people were affected then, more than 7.5 lakh bore the brunt of floods this year, he said.

On banning garbas, he maintained that the SMC would not ban them and urged people not to consume roadside food for a month. The civic body8217;s health department has banned larries for a month. Jagadeesan also warned ice manufacturers of stern action, if they supplied ice manufactured for industrial purposes for domestic consumption.

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Pointing out that seven lakh people residing in the city and two lakh in rural areas were affected by floods, he said, while 53 lakh chlorine tablets were distributed in the city, 8 lakh tablets were distributed in the rural areas. A total 2,200 dead animals were disposed off by the SMC, while the district administration disposed off another 495 in rural areas, he said.

Addressing the gathering, State Health Minister Ashok Bhatt, Narottam Patel while admitting that he had apprehensions about the post flood work carried out by the district administration, stated that his doubts were unfounded as the authorities did a commendable job to check outbreak of disease and restore normalcy.