New Delhi: Delhi Health & Family Welfare Minister Dr. A.K. Walia, strongly criticized the North, South and East Delhi Municipal Corporations for their complete failure to control the spread of dengue in the capital city. He said that despite repeated directions issued by the Delhi Government from time to time during the last few months, they have failed to implement the required action points with regard to taking preventive measures, through anti-larval measures, de-fogging, spray over water bodies, exercising effective control over field staff, particularly Domestic Breeding Checkers (DBCs
Health Minister said that the inefficiency and inadequacy of the three local bodies has led to the piquant situation resulting in wide-spread mosquitogenic conditions through the length and breadth of the city. It is a sad state of affairs that as per the figures released by the Health Department of the local bodies themselves, 880 cases have been reported from Delhi during the last one week and out of these 833 cases are from the areas falling under the jurisdiction of the three local bodies. The accumulative cases of dengue this year till date are 1326 as compared to 27 in 2012 and 168 in 2011.
The Health Minister underlined that keeping in view the importance of the work being done by Domestic Breeding Checkers (DBCs), the Delhi Government decided that their services should be utilized throughout the year in place of earlier practice of engaging them for six months only. Delhi Government released the required additional funds for the purpose to the tune of Rs. 5 crores.
Besides, it has allocated Rs. 36 crores to North Delhi Municipal Corporation, Rs.31 crores and Rs. 21.5 crores to East Delhi Municipal Corporation during the current financial year for exercising effective control over dengue. Out of the total allocation of Rs.87.5 crores, Delhi Government has already released Rs.65.62 crores, being 75% of the total allocation. The Delhi Government shall timely release the remaining funds. But despite Delhi Government’s timely and adequate release of funds, the three Municipal Corporations have failed to come up to the task.
Dr. Walia said that the Zonal Health Officers have failed to properly supervise the field operations. The DBCs are not working for more than 2-3 hours. Their attitude towards checking of domestic breeding is very casual. Neither the Malaria Inspectors exercise effective supervision over their working nor the Health Officers monitored the work of DBCs and Malaria Inspectors. This has lead to inefficiency and inept handing of the situation, particularly mosquito-genic conditions.
The Health Minister observed that neither vehicle-mounted nor hand-operated fogging machines are properly covering the areas within their jurisdiction. The public perception is that these machines are hardly seen being operated in any part of the city.
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