State will empower civic officials to conduct drives inside locked premises: Hakim

Kolkata: State Municipal Affairs and Urban Development minister Firhad Hakim said on Thursday that the state will soon usher in a change in the Municipal Act, so that civic officials of all urban local bodies (ULBs) are empowered to undertake drives inside locked premises to prevent vector-borne diseases.

The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has already amended its act in this regard and the minister wants to do the same for the other ULBs in the state.

Hakim held a meeting with representatives from selected ULBs of North and South 24-Parganas district, including Kolkata and Bidhannagar Municipal Corporations, on the basis of a report by the state Health department that had marked a number of wards in the municipalities of these two districts and some wards of Kolkata and Bidhannagar civic bodies, as sensitive in terms of outbreak of vector-borne diseases.

"A number of councillors have expressed their inability in undertaking drives inside office premises, particularly of the Central government, jute mills and factories that are under lock and key. We are bringing in a change in the Municipal Act, so that civic workers who undertake vector-borne drives can forcefully enter these premises and clean the pockets that encourage the breeding of mosquitoes," Hakim said.

Representatives from the municipalities of Habra, Bhatpara and some others raised their concern over the lackadaisical approach of the Central government establishments, particularly the railways, in keeping their premises clean.

"It is true that the number of dengue cases has been much less in comparison to the previous year. However, there is no place for complacency. We want to ensure that these sensitive wards, earmarked by the Health department, soon emerge as non-sensitive. If we carry on with our hard work for two to three years, I am hopeful that the number of dengue cases will come down to zero in the state," the minister maintained.

Some councillors at the meeting pointed out difficulties in conducting drives in certain bordering wards of the civic bodies due to jurisdictional boundaries. The minister immediately responded with a WhatsApp number and asked the councillors to send pictures of such places so that the matter can be taken up on priority basis.

"There are wards under the KMC that share their boundary with the Rajpur-Sonarpur municipality. Joint drives may be carried out in these areas," a senior official of the state Municipal Affairs department said.