Many blame dirty water, do not look for freshwater breeding sites inside homes

Top civic officials said lack of awareness is reason for spread of the disease and citizens are perpetuating it because of ignorance.

Many citizens blamed water in nearby nullahs. Few seemed to know that fresh water stored for three-four days can allow dengue mosquito, aedes aegypti to breed and that water in empty flower pots, discarded tyres and tubes, water collected under refrigerators after defrosting, and water in drums stored for more than three-four days can be a potential threat.

People from Tulshibaug and from the heart of the city, besides upmarket MG Road in Pune Camp, Parihar chowk in Aundh, Khadki bazaar market, JM Road in Shivajingar, PMT chowk in Bhosari, Pimpri market, Bhel chowk in Pradhikaran were asked the question and nine out of 10 said, “Why don’t they clean choked nullahs where dengue mosquitoes breed?”

On an average, four out of 10 men and nine out of 10 women in the city blamed it on dirty water.

Several said they shut doors and windows in the evenings, believing the mosquito bites at night. “I ensure doors of our hut are shut in the evening,” says Hasina Patel, a housewife in a slum in Pimpri Chinchwad. Patel says they apply mosquito repellent during evening hours. When told dengue mosquito usually bites during the day, Patel said nobody told her that.

Newspapers have been listing precautions issued by health officials, but all those seemed to have escaped even those who regularly read newspapers. A teacher in Rasta Peth who has recovered from dengue, said, “I really didn’t know fresh water stored for four-five days can breed dengue mosquitoes. I read two newspapers daily…”

Even a doctor treating and advising dengue patients is in hospital, as a confirmed dengue case.

Whoever you try to call up in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad is either affected by dengue or is running a high fever, waiting for lab reports to arrive.

“Please call me later yaar, I am down with fever,” said a civic official. On their part, health officials —both in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad —are playing down figures to be away from the firing line. Though 12 deaths have been reported in a year, both PMC and PCMC officials collectively put the toll at 5. They are either blaming private hospitals for not providing correct reports or rejecting reports citing improper yardsticks employed to confirm a positive case.

Both PMC and PCMC – which provide water supply once a day — force people to stock water in buckets and utensils. In chawls, buckets and utensils filled to the brim are a common sight.

PCMC commissioner Rajiv Jadhav agrees that poor awareness among citizens is a cause for the spread of dengue.

“That is why we are going to rope in students, teachers, women’s self help groups to go door-to-door and spread awareness about dengue. We are going to tell people to check their own houses, for the dengue mosquito might be breeding in fresh water they have stocked for three-four days,” he said.