CUTTACK: With dengue spreading its tentacles in the Twin City, Jagatpur industrial area, which houses around 500 small-scale industries with more than 10,000 workers, has become a breeding ground for dengue-causing mosquitoes.
While around 35 dengue cases have been reported in the city so far, Jagatpur recorded three new cases of the mosquito-borne disease on Saturday, creating panic among the residents in the locality. The situation may turn worse in the coming weeks.
While a resident of Najarpur in ward no-48 was tested positive for dengue, two others including a woman were infected with the vector-borne disease at Golei Chowk and Gopabandhu Nagar in ward no-49. Both the wards were identified as dengue-prone areas by the Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) in 2016 when above 1,000 cases were detected from these localities.
Residents and members of Odisha Industries Association (OIA) have urged the CMC and Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (IDCO), the agency in-charge for maintenance and upkeep of the area, to clean up the locality but to no avail.
They alleged that despite requests, no preventive measures have been taken to clean the area. The unhygienic and unsanitary conditions are prevailing in the two wards facilitating breeding of Aedes Aegypti mosquitoes. “On July 23, the civic body health officials had conducted an awareness rally at Jagatpur Mangala slum and altered residents by suggesting using mosquito net. They had also assured us to conduct such programmes on all Saturdays and intensify bush cutting, fogging and cleanliness activities on Sundays. Though a month has already passed, the civic body is yet to start bush cutting and cleanness activities in the two wards,” said a resident.
Chairman of OIA Abani Kanungo in a letter to the CMD, IDCO had urged to initiate necessary dengue preventive measures a month back. The IDCO authorities are yet to take any steps for collection of garbage and maintaining cleanliness inside the industrial estate, he said. Head of Cuttack IDCO division RK Mohapatra said necessary steps are being taken to address the issues.
58 cases in Bhubaneswar
Bhubaneswar: The State Capital on Sunday reported 58 dengue cases taking the tally to 1,730. Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials said 1,209 persons infected with the vector-borne disease have already recovered while the remaining are undergoing treatment. Over 65,510 breeding sites have been destroyed in the city so far in source reduction drive. The BMC officials have visited over 25,000 households to sensitise the residents about the precautionary measures to prevent the disease.