The Hindu : New Delhi News : MCD made tall claims but failed to take action

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Sunday, Oct 08, 2006
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New Delhi

MCD made tall claims but failed to take action

Sandeep Joshi

With winter nowhere in sight, more dengue cases expected

GIVING SOME SOLACE: Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit visits a suspected dengue patient in a hospital in New Delhi on Saturday.

NEW DELHI : The current outbreak of dengue in the Capital has exposed tall claims of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi that it began preparations to contain breeding of aedes mosquitoes well in advance. Despite knowing that the situation this year might be more severe, after the 2003 outbreak that had claimed 34 lives, the civic body failed to properly implement its action plan to check breeding of mosquitoes and create awareness among people.

Speaking at the MCD Standing Committee meeting on Friday, Municipal Commissioner A. K. Nigam said the civic body had anticipated more dengue cases this year. But what is even more alarming is that the situation might worsen further as more cases are likely to be reported in the coming weeks with winter nowhere in sight.

Interestingly, the MCD also knew that recurrence of dengue registers a peak every three to four years, so it was "preparing" for any eventuality this year.

Councillor's charge

"This year the civic body was to purchase temephos sand granules for distributing them in mosquito-infested areas across the Capital in April itself to check breeding of mosquitoes. But it failed to place an order for it. And now they are planning to procure it when its use would prove to be ineffective," said senior Bharatiya Janata Party Councillor Vijender Gupta.

Similarly, as per the action plan, the Health Department was to release larvivorous fishes at many places but it did that only at 228 sites. As a result, it also failed to help in containing breeding of aedes mosquitoes. Compared to last year's deployment of 1,300 domestic mosquito checkers, this year 1,100 persons were recruited and now the MCD is talking of deploying 2,000 more employees for the job with plans including sensitisation of households thorough school children and purchase of fogging machinery mainly remaining confined to official files.

"Whatever efforts are now being made are useless as after dengue starts spreading it is difficult to contain it," Mr. Gupta said.

However, MCD officials claim they had stepped up the fogging exercise and were spending lakhs of rupees every day on various measures to control the disease.

"At present over 300 fogging machines are in operation in various parts of Delhi and lakhs of rupees are being spent by the MCD in incurring expenditure of petrol and diesel for vehicles indulging in such operations," said the MCD's Health Department head, N. K. Yadav.

Fogging operations

Similarly, Rs.10 lakhs is being provided to each zone for fogging operations.

Interestingly, MCD officials and leaders feel that their criticism is unjustified and it is the public that failed to act responsibly.

"Despite our regular reminders, large sections of the public failed to heed our advice to clean coolers that could help control the spread of the dengue virus as a major part of the mosquito breeding occurs in water coolers," said Dr. Yadav.

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