Dengue drive: KMC cancels leaves of senior officials, field staff

Kolkata: The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has cancelled leaves of all the senior officials and field staff of the Health department to conduct drives against dengue and malaria.

The KMC has been launching the anti larvae drives throughout the year. Health workers visit individual houses and housing complexes and flats and inspect the overhead tanks and underground reservoirs and issue notices to the owners if they are found to be uncovered. Drives are regularly held in state and central government offices, hospitals, educational institutions. KMC teams also visit the construction sites and ask the builders if water is found to be stored in containers for quite some time or if garbage is not cleaned for some days.

Along with the drives, KMC has launched massive awareness campaigns. Billboards have been put up containing the dos and don'ts to prevent spread of the disease. In addition to this, Health department workers go to every area and urge the residents to follow the dos and don'ts. The KMC has also started 15 dengue detection centres in the city where people can get their blood samples examined free of cost.

Senior civic officials said it is not possible for the KMC to check spread of dengue and people's participation is required. "We can remove the garbage or spray repellants or visit houses to ensure that the overhead tanks and underground reservoirs are properly covered. But the house and flat owners must keep their flats and houses clean and should clean the containers to store water once in a week."

Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation (BMC) held a high-level committee to check the spread of Dengue in the areas under its jurisdiction on Sunday.

Nabadiganta Industrial Development Authority (NDITA) will put up posters at the roadside stalls to create awareness against dengue in Sector V where a few thousand people come every day for work. NDITA has also decided to decorate the stalls and ensure that quality food is sold in the roadside stalls.