KMC launches campaign against dengue to avert any outbreak

KOLKATA: The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has ramped up its dengue drive to prevent any massive outbreak of the vector-borne diseases this year after inspection teams expressed concerns regarding open water drums and construction sites.

The civic body has launched a full scale campaign to avert another outbreak. Officials of the KMC health department said that anti-larval spraying is being carried out to destroy mosquito larvae. Additionally, joint cleanliness and dengue awareness drives are also being conducted including hand-miking in public.

On Thursday, a vector control team carried out an awareness campaign in Borough IX. An official, on the condition of anonymity, said that despite repeated requests, it has been observed that plastic containers and bottles are being carelessly dumped in the backyards and streets. During the monsoons, these items collect rainwater and create perfect breeding grounds for mosquitoes, he added.

Sources said that inspection teams have informed the KMC health department that open drums containing water have become a concern since most of them remain uncovered. At several construction sites, stagnant water accumulates and draws mosquitoes, thus spreading malaria and dengue in the area. The municipal corporation is also using a gully-pit emptier machine for clearing the gully pit chamber to allow smooth flow of rain and wastewater before the monsoon season.The dengue drives are being carried out jointly by the vector control teams and those from the solid waste management (SWM) department.

The KMC is handing out blue and green waste bins for segregating biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste at source.Mayor Firhad Hakim has stressed on better management of solid waste and has instructed the SWM department to impose fines for littering.