Delhi government today launched a mass awareness drive to motivate people to clear out stagnant water in premises of residential and public buildings, even as the city continued to battle rising cases of chikungunya and dengue.
Aedes aegypti mosquitoes breed in clear water and flower pots, coolers, tyres and bird feeders and other utensils are common places where breeding is found.
As part of the drive, the government asked people to devote at least 30 minutes to check if there were stagnant water in their residential complexes and around it, to prevent mosquito-breeding.
Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain had yesterday appealed to the people, saying, "There are 42 lakh households in Delhi, and if all of you cooperate then we can together root out dengue and chikungunya from the city."
At least 15 people have died due to chikungunya complication and 18 have succumbed to dengue this season. Over 1,700 cases of chikungunya have been reported in the national capital while dengue has affected more than 1,100 people.
Jain today also tweeted about how people and public institution like Delhi Metro and AIIMS were supporting the campaign. The hashtag of #DengueFreeDelhi has been used for it to spread the word on the social media.
"Office of MLO, Transport Dptt, New Delhi participate in #DengueFreeDelhi campaign.
"Mandi House Metro Station authorities participate in #DengueFreeDelhi campaign.
"I request all to devote 30 min for house cleaning. Do not let water stagnate in and around the houses.
"Development Dptt of Animal Husbandry Unit Veterinary Hospital Alipur shows efforts in participating #DengueFreeDelhi.
"INA and AIIMS Metro Station Authorities clean office & surrounding area. #DengueFreeDelhi," Jain said in a series of tweets.
Delhi government has been under attack from opposition parties for "failing" to check the spread of the two vector-borne diseases.
At least 10 per cent of the beds in Central government-run hospitals like RML, Safdarjung and Lady Hardinge, have been reserved for patients suffering from chikungunya and dengue. With this, 1,000 additional beds would now be available in hospitals here.
"We appeal to people to not panic. All adequate arrangements are there in all hospitals, run under Delhi government or Centre or MCD," he added.
The government has already said that all hospitals, mohalla clinics and polyclinics would remain open on Sundays till October 30.
The current chikungunya outbreak is the worst to hit Delhi in almost 10 years.
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Jain later thanked residents of Delhi for their response to the campaign.
"All major organisations including various Delhi government departments and the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation also joined the drive to ensure there is no stagnant water at their respective offices," he was quoted as saying in a statement by the Delhi government.
Many government offices were opened on Sunday with the specific purpose of checking whether any possible mosquito breeding points could be there, including roofs of buildings where water tanks are stationed, it said.
The health minister appealed to the people to continue ensuring preventive steps in the remainder of this season.
Jain also "directed the commissioners of three municipal corporations to ensure all calls made on their helplines seeking fogging and related preventive measures are attended to swiftly".
Traders associations, religious and spiritual leaders, professionals and artists are coming forward to support the #OneDelhi campaign for ensuring preventive steps against dengue and chikungunya and we also appeal to people no to panic, it said.
