Disease At Commissioner's Door

BHOPAL: Dreaded dengue is spreading unchecked beyond its epicentre, South TT Nagar, tightening its tentacles around Sanjay Complex and threatening to engulf the Commissioner's office in its deadly sweep. Jolted by the disease assuming epidemic proportions, the civic body has decided to launch a campaign from Monday.
BMC office is just across the road where Sanjay Complex is situated.TOI found stagnant water which breeds mosquitoes at several areas in the commercial complex from where municipal mandarins operate.
Rivera Towne, a VIP township is located just behind Sanjay Complex. Even Char Imli, the colony housing Bhopal's top bureaucrats is barely 2km away from here and the speed with which deadly mosquitoes are multiplying, dengue may break out in these colonies any time, a BMC official said.
From Sanjay Nagar to Char Imli, civic apathy has created favourable conditions for mosquitoes to breed, he said.
BMC's focus is only on vulnerable municipal wards in South TT Nagar and its campaign includes measures to kill mosquitoes and clean up larvae breeding sites by spraying chemicals, applying larvacidal oil on potential breeding pools and launching an awareness drive, said BMC health officer SP Shrivastava.
"In nearly in all houses at dengue-hit zone of South TT Nagar we are detecting larva. We are continuing anti-dengue activity in the same areas for four to five times," he said.
"Rain in past week has not helped the situation. It takes about seven days for dengue larvae to start breeding in stagnant water," said Shrivastava.
The number of dengue cases has gone past 40 in the state capital and two people have died of the disease. Doctors said the real figure could be a much higher due to underreporting of cases.
Last year, BMC was galvanised into action after reports of dengue near Char Imli, which houses the bureaucracy.
This time too, the civic body decided to launch a full-fledged campaign when dengue was reported across the road near Char Imli.
This time around, the slackness in slapping fines and delayed response has been criticized by citizens.
Sunil Maheshweri, a resident of Sanjay Complex asked, "Why does the civic body take so much time to respond."
Rima Sharma, a student, said, "I am very scared. Every mosquito seems to be a dengue carrier, thanks to BMC apathy."
BMC health officers said no fine can be imposed if dengue larvae are found breeding in any residential complex if one goes strictly by the rule book. This year, only Rs 700 was collected from fine by BMC from dengue-infected zones, but that too on the pretext of spoiling hygiene.
For most victims like Neha Bagga, a resident of South TT Nagar, mosquito breeding in their neighbourhood is the cause of her illness.
"Rules need to be amended. If civic bodies in metro cities can slap fines on dengue breeding, why can't BMC? Why should the citizens suffer due to a few who cannot drain out stagnant water in their houses," said Neha.
Dengue virus carried by the mosquito and its infection can result in headaches, high fever and pink rashes. In severe cases, orifices can ooze blood, said district malaria officer (DMO) Dr KV Vajpai.