The Pioneer  19.08.2010

MCD cancels leave of Health Dept staff

Staff Reporter | New Delhi

As the number of dengue cases in the Capital is rising at an alarming rate, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has cancelled the leave of all the employees of the Health Department.

Realising that the situation was going beyond its control, the corporation has directed employees of the department to report on duty even on Saturdays and Sundays. On Wednesday, the incident of viral disease touched nearly 300 in the city which is not good news for the organisers of the Commonwealth Games.

"We have decided to call off the leave of our employees till the monsoon is over. No one will be allowed to go on leave except on medical grounds," said Municipal Commissioner KS Mehra. He also said that with 20 fresh cases, the number of dengue patients in Delhi has reached 297. "So far, there is only one confirmed death due to dengue, however, three other deaths are suspected due to the disease. We are trying our best to control the spread of the vector-borne disease in the city and have challaned a large number of individuals and organisations for breeding of mosquitoes on their premises," Mehra added.

Despite the tall claims of the Corporation and other civic bodies, there has been a notable increase in the number of dengue cases. During the last 11 days, 190 cases have been registered and the figure of dengue patients has seen three-fold increase. Up to August 7, only 107 cases were reported, while it reached 215 by August 14. As per the data available, on August 18, the number of cases was 297.

During a discussion on the issue in the standing committee on Wednesday, leader of the Opposition Jai Kishan Sharma alleged that this statistics were from the department. According to non-governmental data, there are 1,000 suspect cases of dengue and 14 people have died due to the vector-borne disease in the city, he added.

The top official of the MCD also stated that the civic agency has been performing its duty with zeal and 45,320 legal notices to individual and institutions have been sent after breeding of Aedes mosquitoes was detected on their premises. "Notices were sent to several Government agencies, including hospitals, like All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and Lady Hardinge Hospital," said Mehra.

It was also stated that the MCD has also initiated prosecution against VIPs. "So far, 136 challans have been issued against several Government organisations like the DDA, PWD, DJB, DTC, CPWD, Government schools and colleges, besides MCD's own Horticulture Department and Works Department," he said.

Meanwhile, mosquito breeding has also been detected in accumulated rainwater on the premises of Town Hall, the MCD headquarters in Chandni Chowk. When asked, Mehra assured action would be taken against those responsible. "We will find out who is responsible for this and take necessary action," he said.