Don’t pass the buck,fight dengue instead: Azad

Ghulam Nabi Azad told reporters that from Monday,a massive,coordinated cleaning operation for two days would be launched which would cover all roads,lanes and bylanes.

The operation would be conducted by MCD,NDMC,CPWD and the cantonment board. “Big roads are mostly being cleaned while small lanes,bylanes and houses are unattended,” Azad said.

He said the ministry has also asked agencies like the Metro and CPWD to finish work in areas where construction is over and use insecticides at the sites of under-construction projects.

“We have also asked the Delhi government to ensure cleanliness in all government hospitals,” Azad said,adding that the MCD has been asked to form ward-level committees to take up the responsibility of cleaning up the areas.

The Health Minister said he has requested the MCD to institute awards for best performing wards in the cleanliness drive.

The meeting also arrived at a decision to provide Resident Welfare Associations in all localities with the chemical ‘Temephos’,which can be sprayed to kill mosquitos and larvae. “All government buildings would be check for breeding in their water tanks,coolers and other places where water collects,” Azad said.

The MCD and NDMC have also been asked to open call centres where people can call and report any breeding or water-logging. Azad,however,clarified that there was no need to panic as the dengue strain in circulation was Type-I,which is far less lethal.

Azad said efforts made by agencies to contain the disease so far were isolated and in today’s over two-hour long meeting,there was a unanimous decision to coordinate efforts. “There was no passing the buck,” he added.

The meeting was attended by Delhi Health Minister Kiran Walia,Mayor Kanwar Sain,Health Secretary Sujatha Rao and other officials as well as representatives of hospitals and NDMC.

Will extend all financial help to MCD: Walia
While the dengue scare grows bigger with every passing day,the first set of athletes will start arriving at the Games Village in another 20 days’ time. The Delhi government on Friday said they will extend all possible financial help to the MCD to control th disease which has so far affected 1,155 people. “We will extend all possible financial assistance to the MCD to control dengue. Funds will not be a problem at all,” Health Minister Kiran Walia said. The The MCD has insisted that they are facing a fund crunch in their drive to check dengue. Walia,after visiting several Games venues,said all necessary steps are being taken to control the disease as soon as possible. Health department officials said Pest Control of India and the MCD will work together to destroy mosquito breeding at all the Games venues.