Criminal negligence: AAP blames MCDs for increasing dengue cases
New Delhi: With the spectre of a dengue outbreak hanging over the Capital even as the city continues to deal with the Covid pandemic, the Aam Aadmi Party on Tuesday launched a scathing attack against the Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled municipal corporations in Delhi — alleging that the civic bodies were misusing funds meant to act against vector-borne diseases — as a result of which dengue cases were rising.
According to the latest data available till October 18, the Capital has reported over 720 dengue cases — of which over 50 per cent have been reported in October and over 240 reported in just one week. On Monday, the city also reported its first dengue death this year — after which civic bodies have been put on high alert.
Senior AAP leader and MLA Atishi on Tuesday, in a press conference, lambasted the corporations — alleging that funds meant for vector-borne disease prevention were getting lost in widespread corruption. She said that while the Delhi government was trying to spread awareness by reaching out to every resident, the MCDs are unable to even send their staff to check the situation on the ground — making Delhi unsafe for many.
The MLA said that "BJP-ruled MCD is committing criminal negligence and is responsible for the rise in dengue cases in Delhi."
The MLA alleged that over 70 per cent of positions at the Anti-Malaria Department of the MCDs were lying vacant and that the South MCD was seriously lacking resources to conduct large scale preventative exercises such as spraying and fogging of insecticides.
Atishi said that the South MCD, under which lies 104 wards, has just 16 fogging machines. She said each ward needs at least one fogging machine, further stressing that the funds available for such activities were allegedly being misappropriated. "All the three MCDs ruled by BJP should answer why there is no fogging machine in each of their wards? Where did the money that is allocated for the machines in the budget go? As a result of this, dengue cases are increasing day by day in Delhi," she said.
The AAP leader said that currently, the MCD is responsible for the prevention of malaria and dengue under the DMC Act but they have completely washed their hands off the responsibility. They have not done any breeding checks, or spread any awareness about the issue, Atishi alleged. The BJP-led MCDs are neglecting their duty to serve the city, the AAP said.
Millennium Post reached out to MCD leaders for comments on these allegations but they refused to respond.
