Even as dengue cases continue to climb in Pimpri-Chinchwad, the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation is taking its own time to get into the act. The public awareness campaign of PCMC's medical department seems to be limited to "throwing" pamphlets at the doorsteps of residents and industries. Civic activists are emphatic that the medical department is not doing enough to ward off the fear arising out of large number dengue cases being reported from across the town. From January, the industrial town has seen as many as 400 cases with two deaths. In November, the Pimpri-Chinchwad had seen a record 152 cases which was highest for any month this year. On the other hand, so far malaria cases have crossed by 350. The civic medical department claims that only two persons have died of dengue since January. However, civic activists allege that after every person dies of dengue, the medical department goes all out to declare that it was not a dengue death. “We can understand that the civic administration does not want to create panic among citizens. But the fact is if the PCMC continues to hide the real situation, it won't be able to put in maximum efforts that are required to bring down the rising dengue cases,” says civic activist Shridhar Chalkha. "How do you infuse the sense of urgency among the employees? If they are not made aware of the seriousness of the situation, nobody will put their best foot forward," says Chalka. PCMC medical director Dr Rajshekhar Iyer has a stock reply to all the dengue-related posers. "What can the medical department do when the citizens don't cooperate? It is not the PCMC, but the citizens themselves have to take steps to curb dengue," says Dr Iyer. "How many times should we explain the same thing over and again.Dengue is caused by storing clean water for more than four-five days.in buckets, drums, refrigerators, coolers. We have been telling this fact through pamphlets, through advertsiments in newspapers and on television and even speeches delivered in schools and industrial areas," says Dr Iyer. Sachin Godambe, another activist, points out that the awareness campaign of the PCMC is an half-hearted attempt to reach out to people. "Pamphlets are thrown at the doorsteps of citizens, who, dump it without even bothering to read it. The medical department should take efforts to interact with a group of citizens on a regular basis. Dengue cannot be curbed by one-time campaign. The efforts should continue throughout the year. The results can be seen over a period of time," he says.
