BHUBANESWAR : With dengue cases breaching 120-mark in the State Capital this month, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Thursday launched ‘dry day’ campaign to put a brake on spread of the vector-borne disease in the city.
Residents during the drive were sensitised and counselled to extensively search their premises every Thursday and Sunday and destroy mosquito breeding sources. They were asked to remove unwanted earthen pots, flower pots, containers, tyres etc where rain water may get stored for days allowing Aedes mosquito larva to breed.
The drive was started from three dengue affected areas of three zones - South West, South East and North - in the city. Mayor Sulochana Das took part in the drive at Nayapalli in South West zone, while Municipal Commissioner Vijay Amruta Kulange joined the initiative in Chandrasekharpur area of North zone. In South East zone, the drive was started from Unit IX by the local corporator and other BMC officials.
“The idea of observing dry day is to sensitise people and ensure cleanliness at household level in residential areas to prevent mosquito breeding. We urge citizens to actively take part in the drive to check spread of dengue and other vector-borne diseases in the city,” said the Mayor.
Kulange said the campaign focuses on bringing down the dengue cases in the city to zero. “If citizens keep their surroundings clean and follow dry day on Thursday and Sunday every week we will certainly be able to break the larva cycle and contain spread of the menace,” Kulange said.
The civic body has roped in health and sanitation workers, Swachha Sathis, Resident Welfare Associations, senior citizen association and other stakeholders to raise awareness on dengue menace in slums, residential societies and other places.
As per authorities of the Capital Hospital, over 120 dengue cases have been detected in the city so far. BMC officials also said that places like Niladri Vihar, Chandrasekharpur, Damana, Patia, Unit IX and Nayapalli have witnessed a spurt in dengue cases raising worry for the civic body.