Govt chalks out plan to prevent dengue in schools

Kolkata: The state School Education department has chalked out plans to prevent the spread of vector-borne diseases, especially dengue, in schools.

A high-level meeting to prepare the plan was held in the Chief Secretary's Conference Hall at Nabanna on January 28. It was presided over by Chief Secretary Rajiva Sinha.

It has been decided that district inspectors of schools, area inspector and sub-inspector of schools along with the headmasters and all nodal teachers will be requested to attend the sensitisation-cum-training programmes in the district and block levels.

The schools will launch awareness campaigns, which will include holding rallies, distribution of leaflets, house-to-house survey by school students and organising street drama. School-level competitions will also be held on slogan writing and drawing to create awareness.

The department has asked the schools to organise speeches on awareness during the morning prayer. Special emphasis will be given on schools that are in sparsely populated areas and where construction work is going on.

The students have been asked to take a pledge to keep the environment in the schools and their homes clean, to clean the containers used to store water and not to use containers without covers.

They have also been asked to use mosquito nets and consult a doctor if they are found to be suffering from fever. The students have been directed not to allow garbage to pile up inside the school and its neighbourhood as well.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has asked all the civic bodies to launch anti-Dengue drives throughout the state.