Civic bodies adopt slew of measures to check spread of vector-borne diseases

Facing flak for failing to control spread of vector-borne diseases in the last couple of years, the three Municipal Corporations of Delhi (MCDs) on Monday claimed to take a series of measures in the last few months for their prevention and control.

The Corporations have claimed to have intensified their efforts to overcome any incidence of larvae breading across their jurisdictions.

Officials of the three Corporations added that residents are being apprised of the need of putting an end to mosquito breeding. They have been told to avoid accumulation of water in empty tanks, tyres etc.

Residents have also been told to allow domestic breed checker (DBC) workers to enter in their houses and work places to check the presence of larvae.

In the last week, South Delhi Municipal Corporation examined 7,630 blood slides, sprayed 76,466 houses and its DBC employees visited house to house 53,24,108 times for checking breeding of mosquitoes.

Breeding was noticed in 10,470 houses, legal notices were issued in 12,638 cases whereas prosecution has been launched in 674 cases.

Apart from this, SDMC has been publicising the preventive measures in different localities; assistance from the resident welfare associations and other social organisations is also being solicited.

The meetings arranged by the RWAs and social organisations have become a place for the officers of the Public Health Department to make aware the residents about identification of dangerous mosquitoes and immediate effect of mosquito bites.

SDMC Commissioner Puneet Kumar Goel has twice issued advisory for the offices of the central and state government, corporations, educational Institutions and other establishments to avoid accumulation of water at their places.

Officials of North Delhi Municipal Corporation said that they have also initiated series of measures to control vector-borne diseases.

The Corporation has installed a total of 100 hoardings at various locations and is mulling to install 100 more, besides ensuring availability of required medicines and other equipments to fight the menace this year.

"We have made elaborate arrangement this time. From providing medicines, equipments and other required items, we have been trying to make people aware," said Y S Maan, Director (P&I).

He further added that East Delhi Municipal Corporation has also initiated similar action to handle the situation. The civic body has put 150 hoardings so far to make people aware.