Stagnant water creates threatof vector-borne diseases

Charanjit Singh Teja

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, August 6

With the city receiving a good rainfall this season, rainwater has accumulated in the pits, vacant plots, grounds and footpaths in the low-lying areas of the city. The situation has become favourable for the breeding of mosquitoes as several areas are yet to witness fogging activity by the Municipal Corporation and the Health Department.

The larva and mosquitoes can be seen breeding in stagnant water even in posh areas of the city. Ironically, rainwater has accumulated outside the main building of Guru Nanak Hospital where mosquitoes are breeding.

The Health wing of the MC claimed they have been spraying anti-larva chemicals in the stagnant water and conducting fogging in the walled city. The MC officials claimed that this year, they have enough chemical to undertake fogging and their teams have been visiting all the wards. An MC team has visited the Islamabad area and conducted fogging and anti-larva treatment.

It is worth mentioning here that due to the negligence of the Municipal Corporation, the city witnessed more than 1,000 dengue cases last year. The MC did not conduct fogging till October last year.

A large area of the city is still underdeveloped and rainwater accumulates in vacant plots, grounds and pits. The residents of nearby localities often suffer from vector-borne diseases.

Gurpreet Singh, a resident of Ward No. 55 said, “The open drainage system still exists in the ward. To curb the breeding of mosquitoes, the MC and Health department should conduct fogging every week.”