As rains approach, Delhi steps up measures to check dengue
According to municipal authorities, the civic agencies have also started surveying households, government and private offices, and educational institutions to check mosquito breeding.
Fearing the spread of vector-borne diseases like dengue, chikungunya and malaria once the monsoon begins, the municipal corporations of Delhi (MCDs) have launched fumigation and anti-larval medicine spray drives, along with conducting regular inspections at households across the city to prevent mosquito breeding.
According to the authorities, the agencies have started surveying households, government and private offices, and educational institutions to check mosquito breeding. Over 2,000 challans have been issued to violators so far, they added.
On May 24, the Delhi high court initiated a public interest litigation on the mosquito menace in the Capital and said, if not contained, it would add to the existing problems stemming from the Covid pandemic.
According to data provided by the three civic bodies, 31 dengue cases have been reported till June 12 this year, while only 19 cases were reported during the same period last year. The total number of dengue cases last year was 1,072 while it was 2,036 in 2019. No fatalities from dengue have been reported so far.
The Capital has also reported only four cases of chikungunya and eight cases of malaria till June 12 this year, while 11 cases of chikungunya and 29 malaria cases were reported during the same period last year.
Jai Prakash, mayor of North MCD, said the civic body is spraying anti-larva medicine and regularly conducting fumigation at construction sites, government offices, hospitals, police stations, DTS bus depots, fire stations, education institutions, other private and government offices. “We have also ordered filling of ditches to prevent water accumulation... We will also release Gambusia fish at such locations as it feeds on mosquito larvae. In addition to awareness campaigns, our domestic breeding checkers are also inspecting households too,” said Prakash.
Gyanesh Bharti, commissioner of South body, said he has issued instructions, with special emphasis on unauthorised colonies and JJ clusters. “The public health department of the SDMC has contacted 1,157 RWAs and sent over 5 lakh messages to sensitise people. DBC workers have inspected over 18 lakh households. We have sent 2,580 legal notices and issued challans to 625 people,” said Bharti.
Mayor of East MCD Nirmal Jain said the civic body is carrying out fumigation. “We have also issued 153 challans,” he said.
Doctors said that so far they haven’t received any dengue patients.
“But once monsoon showers begin, the mosquito breeding will start and there will be cases of dengue. Currently, most of the fever cases are of Covid-19,” said Dr Srikant Sharma, consultant of internal medicine at Moolchand hospital.