This Article is From Sep 08, 2016

Dengue, Chikungunya Cases Up In Delhi, Civic Body Slow To Respond

So far more than 1000 people have been hospitalized due to Chikungunya and dengue in Delhi.

New Delhi: As dengue and chikungunya cases spike in Delhi, an NDTV investigation found that contrary to its claims, the Delhi Municipal Corporation has actually slackened in its efforts to control the rise of the two diseases.

So far, more than 1000 people have been hospitalized -- 560 of them with Chikungunya and 771 with dengue.

On September 7, the civic bodies and Delhi's Aam Aadmi Party government had outlined the steps they have taken to control the situation at the Delhi High Court following a petition.

But at Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital, the patients said government authorities had not visited their homes at all to carry out the necessary checks.
 
Dilbagh Singh, a resident of Chhatarpur, whose 4-year-old son Mandeep has been admitted with dengue, said, "In our locality, children and the elderly people are being affected. We have asked for fogging, but no one listens."

Sant Kumar, a resident of Sangam Vihar in South Delhi, said, "It has been five to 5-6 months, the cycle which does the fumigation hasn't been brought."

Data provided by civic bodies show door-to-door inspections to check breeding of mosquitoes in houses have gone down by 13 per cent since 2013. The mosquito which causes both diseases breeds indoors, mostly at homes.

The data, which reflects visits to schools, houses, offices etc. shows how of the 45 lakh houses under the jurisdiction of the Delhi Municipal Corporation only 13 per cent have been fumigated this year - a 7% rise from the previous year.

Asked why inspections were not being carried out, Additional Commissioner Health, South Delhi Municipal Corporation, Meeta Singh said, "I would definitely not agree with that. My DCB (Direct Check Breeders) team is on Whatsapp where we get pictures on where and when fogging is happening. We are totally monitoring it, issuing challans and notices."
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