With rains, MCDs wary of dengue

The civic bodies, in view of last year’s outbreak of the deadly disease, have asked their departments to take immediate measures. The agencies, however, have yet to give specific details of preparation, while over a dozen of cases have been reported across the city during the early days of the season.

“With reports of dengue causing panic as soon as it starts raining and the temperature becoming conducive, we thought we should do a reality check. We found mosquitoes breeding in many parts of the city especially in unauthorised and industrial pockets. We have taken a serious note of the report,” said Vijay Prakash Padey, Leader of the House, North MCD.

Last year’s outbreak was unusual and surprising and there might be possibility that the disease might bounce back as and when the weather is favourable for mosquito breeding. Though no serious case has been reported till now, there could be a sudden rise in dengue cases,” said Pandey.

North MCD areas, where larvae were spotted are Narela, Bawana, Bhalswa, Jahangirpuri, etc. In these areas, there are a deluge of industrial units where release of untreated water in the open is a common practice. In these areas, they were seen in overhead tanks and containers that turn into mosquito breeding points. In EDMC, unauthorised colonies/pockets, slums and mushrooming small industries in several stretches have been posing dengue threats as majority of breeding points have been found from there. In the South, apart from low-category colonies, posh areas are also turning into breeding grounds as covered tanks were found studded with mosquito larvae.

“During the survey, we were shocked to find the larvae had survived even in overhead tanks that had proper covers. We are concerned with the mosquito breeding report and have conveyed it to MCD’s Health Department. In winter, there are fewer chances of dengue larvae breeding. But if they get conducive environment inside covered tanks, they can survive in a dormant state. Considering the fact we have asked the department to make people aware about the disease, asked them to take adequate measures and have issued notices/challans to households, factories and other institutions after finding larvae,” said P K Gupta, Commissioner of North Corporation during a special session on dengue on Monday.

Notably, last year, the city saw a staggering rise of over 16,500 dengue cases, the worst in 20 years. The disease also claimed 60 lives. The agencies had faced the wrath of the people for surge in these cases, so this time, the agencies are in a tizzy fearing a similar crisis.