Kolkata: In view of the monsoon season and the dengue situation, the health department of Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has released an advisory for all schools within its jurisdiction to prevent the outbreak of the disease among students and staff.
The advisory said that it was issued keeping in mind certain facts, such as dengue is a viral disease for which no definitive curative treatment exists till date. There is only scope for supportive treatment. Schools cater to staff and students from a wide catchment area from across Kolkata and also from its adjoining peri-urban areas and may act as a focal point for spread of dengue to a larger part of the city. It further stated that the Aedes Aegypti mosquito, which is responsible for dengue, generally bites during day time.
The advisory advised to keep the premises, including roof tops and immediate surroundings of the school, free from garbage and sources of accumulation of fresh water as these may act as breeding spots for Aedes Aegypti mosquitoes.
The civic body also advised that schools should allow vector control workers of KMC’s health department to inspect within the premises of the school at regular intervals. These vector control teams will help detect any potential breeding spots and destroy the same.
Further, for students, the civic body said that it is highly advisable that students should wear school uniforms that cover most of their body surface (full sleeve shirts and full trousers) to minimise the surface area where the mosquitoes may bite. Also, the KMC said that the nearest KMC Health Center — UPHC (there is one in each of the 144 wards of KMC) be informed in case any child in the institution is suffering from dengue or any fever so that the civic body may follow up the case immediately. The schools can contact KMC at the email ids cmho@kmcgov.in and cmhomail@gmail.com.
Meanwhile, Mayor Firhad Hakim and deputy mayor Atin Ghosh, who is also the member mayor-in-council, Health, visited the Coal India complex with officials of the vector control team. They came across an abandoned vehicle and a pile of waste which comprised tyres and other electronic wastes.
Recently several KMC councillors complained to the Mayor that some establishments under the central government are rampantly violating guidelines.
Complaints have come against central establishments such as Coal India, Railways, National Library and Kolkata Port and Army. Councillor Anindya Kishor Routh had alleged that several damaged cars remain parked at Coal India premises where rainwater is accumulating, creating a breeding ground for dengue mosquitoes. Sources said that the civic body is likely to file a case at the municipal court regarding the matter. Earlier, a case was filed against the National Library.