KMC starts door-to-door anti-dengue drive

Kolkata: The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) started its door-to-door dengue drive in the city on Thursday.

The officials visited particularly those households where dengue cases were reported last year. The drive took place on Muraripukur Road in North Kolkata and officials covered 30 houses in the area led by Deputy Mayor Atin Ghosh who also heads the Health department of the civic body.

"We will slap a notice under 496A of the KMC ACT on a person who lives on 35 D Muraripukur Road for being negligent in cleaning of garbage on the premises of his house," Ghosh said.

The team involved in the drive comprised of officers from Health, Solid Waste Management, Drainage and Building department of the civic body. Local borough chairman Anindya Raut was also present during the drive.

The team spoke to the residents and advised them on how to keep their own respective compounds free from garbage and warned them against accumulation of stagnant water. Ghosh also told them about the precautionary measures which they should take to prevent the disease.

"Our continued awareness drives have resulted in better civic awareness pertaining to cleanliness. But they should be more alert and vigilant," Ghosh said.

The team stumbled upon a vacant land during their drive where heaps of garbage was found.

"We will soon send notice to the owner of the land. The drive will continue till June and during this period we will cover every house in the city from where dengue cases were reported last year," a senior KMC official said.

Deputy Mayor Atin Ghosh will be present in the anti-dengue drives twice in a week. The KMC has already prepared a map of the residences in all the 144 wards in the city where people were affected last year.