New Delhi: The majority of councillors Tuesday expressed resentment over the poor performance of MCD‘s public health department in controlling vector-borne diseases.During the standing committee meeting, BJP and AAP councillors alleged a shortage of insecticides, staff and machines. They claimed that fogging had not begun at several places, including schools, community markets and parking areas. Till Saturday, Delhi had reported 311 dengue, 119 malaria and 22 chikungunya cases so far this year.Hemchand Goel, BJP councillor from Molarband, said: “Every year, staff from other departments were pooled in to help the public health department staff.” He placed an agenda on the issue before the committee.Officials, however, said that mosquito breeding had been checked at 13,700 locations, including 3,852 construction sites, 3,017 schools and 3,600 parking areas. “We have enough stock of insecticides. Public health staff, who were diverted to other departments, have also been called back to carry out fogging,” the municipal health officer said.Delhi has reported more than 3,700 influenza cases and 3,006 H1N1 cases this season, marking a significant multi-fold increase over previous years. BJP councillor Shashi Yadav asked if adequate awareness campaigns were being done on the spread of such diseases.Yadav also questioned commissioner Sanjeev Khirwar about the MCD’s plan to control pollution in the winter. Khirwar said: “For dust control, 70 mechanical road sweepers will be procured by Nov….. Further, 1,000 litter pickers are planned to be engaged, of which 300 will come by Oct.”Standing committee chairperson Satya Sharma directed officials to carry out regular fogging. “The vehicles hired and insecticides procured should be used in each zone. Councillors from the respective areas should be actively involved in these campaigns,” she said.
