NEW DELHI: The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), in collaboration with Northern Railway, on Friday launched a major campaign to control mosquito-borne diseases in the capital. Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh flagged off the ‘Mosquito Terminator Train’ from New Delhi Railway Station. Through this train, anti-larval chemicals will be sprayed in a radius of 50–60 metres on both sides of the railway tracks.
For this purpose, a special truck equipped with a power sprayer has been mounted on a railway wagon, enabling easy spraying of anti-larval chemicals even in difficult-to-reach areas. Singh said that the MCD is fully committed to the health and safety of citizens. Due to rains, water often accumulates around railway tracks, creating breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
With the ‘Mosquito Terminator Train’, large-scale spraying will help us eliminate diseases like dengue, malaria, and chikungunya from their root. He added, This is not just a train, but a shield to safeguard the health of Delhiites, reaching areas that cannot be manually accessed.”
MCD Commissioner Ashwini Kumar stated that this joint campaign of MCD and Railways is an important initiative in public interest. This collective effort will bring relief to lakhs of people. He further added that the Municipal Corporation is carrying out cleanliness and mosquito eradication drives in a mission mode. However, this campaign will only be successful if every citizen participates.
He appealed to the people of Delhi to ensure that water does not stagnate in and around their homes, to maintain cleanliness, and to actively support the Corporation’s efforts. Community participation is key in the fight against mosquitoes and related diseases,he emphasized. The commissioner added that the drive, which will continue until September, is expected to significantly help in controlling mosquito-borne diseases.