BENGALURU: While dengue cases in the state have surged to 17,227, and 10 deaths as of July 28, the measures being taken to control the infection are reportedly insufficient, say citizens.
The health department has instructed staffers to carry out source reduction and fogging, however, residents argue that nothing is being done on a daily basis. Mosquito breeding has increased due to rain and garbage piles that civic authorities fail to clear on a daily basis, they say.
Ramesh K, a resident of JC Nagar, lamented that they rarely see any fogging done, or standing water being cleared. “Piles of garbage around the neighbourhood are a breeding ground for all sorts of health issues, it is not only about mosquitoes, it is about overall safety,” he added.
When TNIE reached out to the BBMP health department, officials refuted residents’ claims and maintained that they are conducting dengue control measures, particularly early in the morning. Residents, however, counter it, stating that they rarely observe any such activities being carried out.
Residents of Okalipuram say that trash dumps keep piling up around the area, and garbage-laden tippers are often parked by the roadside, attracting swarms of mosquitoes and creating health concerns.
Speaking with TNIE, slum-dwellers in DJ Halli mentioned that waste collection tippers frequently skip their area. Rajalakshmi, a resident, mentioned that when tippers don’t collect waste, people dump waste wherever they see space. This unattended garbage accumulation increases the mosquito problem and heightens health risks in the locality.