Bhubaneswar: The health and family welfare department has asked the civic officials here to take adequate measures to prevent outbreak of various water and mosquito-borne diseases - such as hepatitis and dengue - during the ensuing monsoon season.

The department has also issued a rigorous guideline and asked the officials of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation and other allied agencies to comply with the same to combat the diseases in a time-bound manner. "The weather centre has predicted an early arrival of monsoon. We need to take measures accordingly," said an official of health department.

The health department has covered several aspects in the guideline - such as taking steps for awareness and community mobilisation, intensified cleanliness activities, prevention of accumulation of stagnant water, supply of safe drinking water and maintenance, repair and disinfections of tubewells and standposts.

Besides, the health department has also asked the civic body to form an urban taskforce involving various community representatives. The committee will meet once a week and review various activities and draft plans to address specific concerns in the city.

The civic body will also take steps to manage removal of waste - such as plastic bags, cups, containers, coconut shells, broken tins, unused tyres and old motor vehicles - at work sites to prevent stagnation of water.

The health department has asked the civic body to take up de-silting and de-weeding of drains on priority basis and complete all such works by first week of June.

"We have already asked our officials working in the urban health centres to be ready to deal with the situation. We will also form a squad to prevent accumulation of stagnant water. The drain de-silting work will be complete by the first week of June," said mayor Ananta Narayan Jena.