Thiruvananthapuram | Kerala Health Minister K Muraleedharan on Thursday said that there has been an increase in communicable diseases in the state as the cleanliness activities, as part of the monsoon preparedness, could not be carried out since February this year.

Muraleedharan also said that it was important to be transparent with regard to those infected and those who died due to such diseases.

The minister said that he had directed the Health Services department to put up on its portal the number of persons who were infected and those who died.

"I believe we should give a clear picture to media and the government will not shy away from doing so. We invite and accept criticism from the media," he said while speaking at a workshop for media on communicable diseases.

He said that if the details are not released, people will not take things seriously and we would not be able to curb the spread of communicable diseases.

The minister further said that coordination of all departments is being ensured to carry out cleanliness activities.

"Communicable diseases are increasing in the state as monsoon related preparedness, including cleanliness activities, could not be carried out since February this year. After the local body polls in December last year, around 70 per cent of the elected members were new and by the time they got familiarised with their work, assembly elections were declared," he said.

Subsequently, the state entered election mode and the cleanliness activities were not carried out, leading to an increase in communicable diseases, Muraleedharan said.

He said that the government has created a high power committee to take immediate and long term measures to address the issue.

One of the immediate or short term measure is to have "dry days" in schools on Friday, in offices on Saturday and in homes on Sunday, when sanitation activities targeting vector breeding grounds will be carried out there, the minister said.

"Through this we have been able to control the spread of communicable diseases to some extent," he contended.

He also said that he has told the Kozhikode district officials to ensure Nipah does not recur there as the disease is usually seen in the months between May and September.

Muraleedharan further said that mistakes by anyone working in the department will not be justified and action will be taken against them.

"No one who is at fault will be protected by the government," he added.