Dengue: 12 new cases reported

The meeting witnessed a ruckus over the issue of dengue, with the Opposition Congress accusing the BJP of failing to prevent the spread of the disease. The ruling and Opposition benches traded charges and shouted slogans.

8220;Municipal Health Officer N K Yadav should take responsibility and resign,8221; J K Sharma, Leader of Opposition in MCD, said. The Congress demanded the dengue outbreak in the city be declared an epidemic and alleged that the MCD was distributing medicines and insecticides already past their expiry dates. The commissioner, however, denied these allegations, saying that sufficient stock of medicines was available.

The Standing Committee directed officials to draw up a new blueprint outlining steps to combat dengue and submit it before the panel within a week.

Municipal Commissioner K S Mehra said measures would be taken to intensify the drive against dengue.

On the issue of the 18-day-old strike by some 2,500 mosquito breeding checkers demanding regularisation of their jobs, the commissioner said new people will be recruited in place of workers on strike and whose cases are not pending before any court.