'The Lieutenant Governor has asked the army to help drain out water in and around the Games village and in spraying mosquito repellent,' Dikshit said.
Amid mounting international concern over dengue outbreak here ahead of the Commonwealth Games, chief minister Sheila Dikshit today said Army's help has been sought to drain out water from the vicinity of Games village and fog the area to prevent mosquito breeding.
"The Lieutenant Governor has asked the army to help drain out water in and around the Games village and in spraying mosquito repellent," Dikshit said.
She said the agencies concerned are working very hard to contain rising cases of dengue in the city.
The move comes against the backdrop of over 20 participating nations seeking information from the Games Organising Committee about the dengue outbreak in the city and steps being taken to combat it before the mega sporting event that begins in 23 days.
Asked specifically about what role army would play in dealing with rising cases of dengue, health minister Kiran Walia refused to divulge details but said everything will be clear by tomorrow.
"The government works at various levels. We are trying our best to deal with the situation," she said, refusing to comment on how the army will help the civil administration to deal with the situation.
A joint team comprising officials from Municipal Corporation of Delhi and Delhi government are working in the Games village to drain out the accumulated water so that the area does not become a breeding ground for mosquitoes.
The Games village is surrounded by pools of water from three sides, making it conducive for mosquito breeding.
"The Army Corps of Engineering has the requisite experience, training and the necessary equipment. So, we can seek their help," an official said.
The cases of the vector-borne disease has reached 1580 in the capital this season and the civic bodies are blaming incessant rains and stagnation of water at Games construction sites for the rapid increase in dengue cases.
Officials said the village on the Yamuna river-bed in east Delhi was surrounded by water from three sides and it is 30-ft deep on one side with mud all over. They said the army engineering men can help drain out the water, fill the pit with soil and flatten it after which fogging and spraying of anti-larvae chemical can be done there.
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