The Salt Lake civic authorities have started a clean-up drive in all block markets of Salt Lake as dengue cases are on the rise across all three sectors of the township. At least 15 new cases of dengue are being reported every day from Salt Lake alone, an official of the Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation’s health department said.
On Saturday, vector control teams along with personnel from the solid waste management department were sent to the markets in the township where they cleared garbage and sprayed larvicide. The health workers asked shopkeepers — especially those running fish and meat shops — to ensure that they do not keep water in drums for more than two days. They also asked the shop hands if they had a fever or any other symptoms.
At CK market, the municipal teams, led by mayor Krishna Chakraborty and mayoral council member(health) Banibrata Banerjee, found drums of water as well stagnant pools of water near the portion of the bazaar that houses fish and meat shops.
Another team sprays larvicide at a market.
“We ran a check on all shops and found freshwater being stored in containers. To our relief did not find any mosquito larvae. However, we have cautioned the shopkeepers and have advised them not to store water in this fashion for more than two days,” said Chakraborty.
The dengue-causing Aedes Ageypti mosquito can breed in the smallest pools of freshwater and public health experts have repeatedly warned against freshwater accumulation in drums, flower vases and pots.
At BJ market, Chakraborty told the shopkeepers: “At the end of the day, please use broomsticks and sweep the water away to ensure that mosquitoes cannot breed here.”
Both the markets were also cleared of garbage and a food stall owner, who had a pile of used plastic plates and glasses dumped outside his shop, was issued a warning by the civic teams.
Till Saturday, the total number of dengue cases in the Bidhannagar municipal area stood at 138. Of this more than 67 cases have been reported from Salt Lake alone.
