With dengue and malaria fever gripping the city, it is clear that both BMC and housing societies are to be blamed
Dengue has created havoc in the city and the very word causes terror in the minds of Mumbaikars. It is frustrating as the epidemic is far from being curbed, its latest victim being a four-month-old infant.
With frustration growing stronger by the day, it is quite convenient to blame the BMC for failing to curb the disease. While the civic body is not devoted entirely to control the spread of dengue and malaria, few cautious steps taken by the citizens can go a long way. The solution couldn't be simpler: all we need to do is keep a check on our backyard!
Across the city, the health department of each ward includes a pest control team, which is responsible for spraying pesticides regularly in the respective wards. That said, it is our responsibility on an individual level and collectively as a housing society to check our surroundings. This check is crucial to identify probable breeding areas.
Most BMC officials gripe that there is lack of awareness about dengue in housing societies. Devidas Kshirsagar, Assistant Municipal Commissioner, D-ward, says, "Awareness is required at the society level as most residents are careless. Each family needs to check its surroundings for possible breeding spots."
Given the alarming rise in the number of dengue cases, residents of each society and members in each family should take up clean up drives, pick up the garbage, clean the place and check for breeding spots.
*Preshit Shah, a resident of Forjett Street, shares his agony, "It is utter disbelief the way certain residents are behaving; they are completely ignorant about the problem. A neighbouring building called Motimahal Mansion shares a house gully with the building I reside in. This gully is filthy as residents throw out garbage in the gully, which then accumulates here, along with water. Such places are very likely to turn into dengue breeding grounds. In fact, recently, a case of dengue was reported in a nearby building."
Contrary to popular misconception, dengue mosquitoes breed in clean water. Hence, keeping a check on flower pots and vases, crevices, open tanks, unattended open buckets filled with water in the garden or backyard is essential.
*Name changed on request
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