Govt taking all steps to combat spread of dengue, assures Hakim

Kolkata: The state Urban Development and Municipal Affairs department has taken every possible measure to prevent the spread of dengue and there is no reason to panic, state minister for the department Firhad Hakim said on Friday.

Coming down heavily on those who have criticised the Urban Development department for not taking appropriate measures to prevent Dengue, Hakim said: "We have taken up the matter seriously and our aim is to reduce the number of persons afflicted with the disease to zero."

Hakim met all the officials of the municipalities of North 24-Parganas at Writers' Building to take stock of the situation. He said there was news of unknown fever from some areas. "But no need to panic. The municipalities have intensified their vigil and prompt actions are being taken." He will meet officials of all the state municipalities on August 14.

It may be mentioned that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had asked all the civic bodies in the state to take up anti-larvae drives seriously. As the mosquitoes have changed their breeding season, all the civic bodies had began awareness campaigns from January. At the onset of monsoon, the anti-larvae drives have been intensified by them. In North 24-Parganas there are many closed factories and abandoned mills, particularly in areas surrounding Barrackpore where the garbage has not been cleaned and there are broken sheds that hold rain water. The mosquitoes lay egg in clear water and it takes only seven days for the pupae to become adult mosquitoes. It may be mentioned that the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has already made a move to enter the houses that have been kept under lock and key for years, in presence of police, to clear the garbage and spray mosquito repellants.