In an effort to raise awareness of the value of cleanliness in preventing dengue, Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim was spotted on Wednesday using a shovel and cleaning a roadway in this city as the state struggles with fast rising dengue cases. An estimated 40,000 or more dengue cases have been reported in the state thus far, with 500 or more occurring in the city.
“The civic body is making all possible efforts to combat the dengue outbreak and holding campaigns to make people aware of the situation. I would urge the people of the city to take the issue seriously and stay more vigilant. The accumulation of water and garbage on the roofs and backyards of houses should be checked. People must ensure the area in and around their house is clean so that mosquitoes don’t breed,” said Hakim, Bengal Urban Development & Municipal Affairs Minister, who also inspected an under-construction building in Chetla area.
Dilip Ghosh, the vice-president of the BJP at the national level, asserted, “Since Firhad Hakim became Mayor of Kolkata, dengue-positive cases have skyrocketed in the city. He ought to be known as the dengue minister. The entire city has turned into a trash heap. The lack of widespread cleaning campaigns by civic body authorities has resulted in this worrying condition.”