Cuttack, July 31: The council meeting of the municipal corporation was held today to discuss the dengue outbreak that has assumed serious proportions here.

Alleging failure of the civic body to contain the outbreak of the vector-borne disease, BJP-backed independent councillor of ward No. 23 Laxmidhar Pradhan staged a demonstration demanding dissolution of the elected council.

Pradhan, later staged a walkout from the council meeting.

“CMC has failed to tackle the dengue situation. No measures were taken to address various issues, including sanitation in the city,” said Pradhan.

Over 247 people have tested dengue positive so far while one succumbed to the disease here.

An official source said maximum dengue cases had been reported from ward No. 21 and 23.

Pradhan said that the corporation had not been able to carry out anti-mosquito drive, including spraying of larvicidal oil and fogging drives in the affected localities.

Congress councillor of ward No. 32, Dharmananda Patra, blamed the civic body for lack of dengue awareness campaign.

Patra said the corporation should ensure that awareness campaigns are organised before the arrival of monsoon to prevent the breeding of the aedes aegypti mosquitoes, responsible for spread of dengue.

On the other hand, BJD councillors claimed that the corporation has taken adequate steps to deal with dengue situation.

“The Opposition councillors are trying to politicise the issue without any concrete information. The corporation has taken elaborate measures to tackle the dengue situation by intensifying awareness and other sanitation drive,” said Kedar Prusty, councillor, ward No. 25.

Municipal commissioner Nihar Ranjan Mohapatra told the council that the state government has assured assistance in the form of manpower and equipment to contain the outbreak.

“The corporation has placed orders for purchase of 80 hand sprayers and 30 fogging machines to intensify the ongoing operations against dengue ,” said Mohapatra.

Truck mounted fogging machines would be procured.

Keeping in view the dengue situation, a number of councillors also demanded more sanitary staff to intensify spraying of mosquito oil in all the 54 wards.