Amid the rise in cases of dengue, Deputy Commissioner Ghanshyam Thori today said that Administration and health teams were making all out efforts on war level to contain dengue in the urban as well as rural areas.Chairing a meeting with the various departments, Thori said that as per state health authorities, Jalandhar has ranked at 16th position in terms of dengue cases reported so far but all teams were extensively working to control the spread of dengue. He asked officials to leave no stone unturned to intensify steps against dengue vis-a-vis making people aware across the district. He said that mass awareness drive had already been launched in areas identified as hotspots.The Deputy Commissioner also appealed the people to take all preventive measures against dengue. He said that as many as 243 cases had been reported till October 28 including 168 in urban areas while 74 in rural localities. said the DC adding that the urban hotspots included localities like Basti Danishmanda, Basti Sheikh, Jalandhar Cantt, Santokhoura, and others. He said that people were being sensitized to clear out stagnant water in premises of residential, streets and public places.
Thori said that people must be educated about all breeding grounds of mosquitoes so that further outbreak of dengue could be controlled efficaciously. He said that aedes aegypti mosquitoes breed in clear water and flower pots, refrigerator, coolers, tyres and bird feeders and other utensils are normal places besides stagnant water where breeding is found. He said that as part of the drive, the MC along with health, Education, youth welfare and other departments have formed joint teams to visit door to door for sensitizing the people about breeding grounds in the hot spots. The teams have been carrying awareness rallies in the major affected areas. Further in the rural areas, the teams of Panchayat, health department, EOs, BDPOs were carrying out awareness campaign in all villages so as to sensitize rural folk against the ill-effects of this disease, he added. The DC said that district administration Jalandhar has launched a special drive to keep spread of dengue disease under check by adopting multipronged strategy ranging from enforcement drive to awareness campaign in dengue hotspots adding that a list of dengue affected areas has also been circulated among the stakeholders for effective implementation of the government's guidelines. Regular fogging and spraying was also being ensured by the health and civic bodies departments in affected areas besides issuing challans to those where dengue larvae was detected by checking teams.The DC also stated that the students have been motivating the people for keeping all water storage containers covered, besides removing old tyres, broken pots, and other crockery. He also said that it is the social responsibility of all human beings to keep their surroundings clean and green.