Sunday, 21 JULY 2024 | PNS | DEHRADUN
In an effort to increase vigilance and enforcement for preventing dengue, the Health department has resolved to issue challans to owners of both domestic and commercial properties where the larvae of dengue-causing mosquitoes are found consistently. Stating this, the district service officer CS Rawat informed that there are certain locations, whether residential or commercial, where the presence of dengue larvae persists due to negligence in removing stagnant water. To instill a sense of accountability among the public regarding dengue prevention, the Health department has decided to issue challans to the owners of such properties, he said.
He further informed that the department does not directly issue the challan; instead, they instruct the municipal corporation about the location where the challan should be issued. He emphasised that the department does not only target commercial properties but will also issue challans to government departments, officials, ministers and government hospitals where mosquito larvae are frequently discovered.
Commenting about the anti-dengue drive, Rawat informed that from July 1, Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) workers initiated a dengue awareness campaign. Their activities include educating people on dengue prevention and inspecting households for larvae presence. He said that 550 ASHA workers are involved in this awareness initiative, with each worker covering 40 to 50 houses daily. Up to this point, a total of 1,99,739 house inspections have been conducted, resulting in the discovery of 5,52,769 containers with water, 1,910 of which contained larvae. Upon identifying larvae, the ASHA workers promptly eliminate them or coordinate larvicide and fogging actions with the municipal corporation. Further, 40 volunteers have been designated to raise dengue prevention awareness in the Rishikesh area, he said. “In order to prevent the dengue larvae from breeding, it has been observed that they are mostly found in the garden area, coolers and the back of refrigerators. Therefore, individuals should diligently ensure that the water at these locations is changed regularly to disrupt the dengue larvae cycle,” Rawat said.
