VISAKHAPATNAM: The Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation is taking several steps to mitigate the monsoon-related problems. These include controlling vector-borne diseases, water logging and preventing of collapse of old buildings.
Chief medical officer of the corporation’s public health department, Dr Naresh Kumar, said silt was removed from 683 drains to facilitate easy flow of stormwater. This would also prevent waterlogging.
Similarly, each health volunteer would visit 100 to 150 houses every Tuesday and Friday to carry out anti-larvae operations. They would get the residents empty/clear their water-stagnated areas/containers.
“We are also carrying out massive fogging in the city, spraying in the drains and the premises of schools, hostels and hospitals,’’ the CMO said.
The health department brought 20 lakh gambusia fish against a demand for two lakh fish for anti-larvae operations.
GVMC commissioner Srikanth Varma held training classes for the Sachivalayam volunteers on how to create awareness among the residents to keep their place dry and prevent mosquito breeding. The commissioner held a demo session for the volunteers on Thursday.
Among the other steps, the town planning department is focusing on ways to avoid the collapse of old buildings. The department identified around 160 such buildings that are required to be demolished.
Chief city planner Sunitha said the corporation has initiated the process of demolishing the old buildings that posed a danger of collapse. “Not just the old town areas, we will cover the entire city,’’ she said.
Mayor HV Kumari said trees were being planted all over the city on a massive scale. Trees would absorb excess water and prevent water- logging. “This process started before the Global Investors Summit and G20 meeting and is continuing. We are not spending any extra funds for planting trees or taking up desiltation of drains and others,’’ she said.
