This is the fourth year of an elaborate polio eradication programme embarked upon by the Union government, who plan to eradicate the disease by 2000.

The success of the SMC, who took the assistance of over 1400 para medics, voluntary organisations and government doctors, in addition to its health workers, has been the highest in the State for the second consecutive year.

Polio drops were administered to 3,52,624 children below the age of five at 1265 centres erected in the six municipal zones of the city. Special polio immunisation centres were also set up at hospitals, health centres and dispensaries in the city, the SMC said on Monday.

While the State government figures of October '98 indicated that 2,64,611 children in the city below the age of five were immunised, over 3.52 lakh children were administered polio doses on December 6 this year. The second phase is to be held on January 17.

Taking the lead, SMC officials, including Commissioner S Jagadeesan, Mayor Savita Sharda, Deputy Mayor Snehalata Chauhan, Standing Committee Chairman Ajay Choksi, party leader Natu Patel, Deputy Commissioner (health and hospitals) I C Patel and others personally administered doses of medicine to children at health centres.

The SMC employees were also assisted by students of the government medical college, members of the General Practitioners' Association, Indian Medical Association and others.

Although figures from the district were not available, a release issued by the collectorate stated that the pulse polio immunisation programme in the rural parts of the district was largely successful with large numbers of people turning up at health centres to get the doses administered to their children.