KMC urges Central agencies to properly carry out dengue drives

Kolkata: The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) authorities have urged Central government agencies to keep their premises clean to curb the spread of dengue. A high-level meeting was held at KMC headquarters on SN Banerjee Road where senior officials of Central Public Works Department (CPWD), Metro Rail, Eastern Railway along with their counterparts in other agencies were present. The meeting was presided over by the Municipal Commissioner Khalil Ahmed. Senior officials of KMC's Health department were present at the meeting. The civic officials urged the Central government officials to keep their office premises and the housing complexes situated in different parts in the city clean. Earlier, the Health wing of KMC had visited many Central government offices and housing complexes and found mosquito larvae. Steps had been immediately taken but for better results, there should be regular checks from the Central government's side. Senior civic officials said that it was the responsibility of KMC to keep the roads surrounding the offices or housing complexes clean and to ensure that no garbage was dumped near the office premises or housing complexes. "But KMC has no access inside the office premises and housing complexes. It depends on the offices but when the outbreak of dengue takes place, KMC becomes the favourite whipping boy," the official maintained. To engage KMC to clear garbage from inside the housing or office complexes, the agencies will have to bear the expense. The Central government should conduct anti-larvae drives at the housing complexes where their senior officials reside and urge them to sleep under mosquito nets or to clean the containers where water is stored at least once a week. "Dengue prevention is a collective effort and the KMC has sought cooperation from these agencies for effective anti-larvae drives," a senior civic official said.