Delhi floods: Agencies look to prevent outbreak of health crisis

Separately, the MCD said its has removed the carcasses of more than 500 animals from flood-affected areas

With water from inundated areas along the low-lying areas along the Yamuna gradually receding, Delhi’s agencies are now focused on tackling its aftermath, and preventing a public health crisis.

An official from MCD’s public health department said the civic body’s field teams have stepped up their efforts towards prevention of water-borne diseases like gastroenteritis, cholera, and typhoid. m (Sanjeev Verma/ HT Photo)

The Delhi government has unveiled its action plan to prevent the spread of mosquito-borne diseases, which will involve the use of drones for surveillance and spraying of insecticides, awareness announcements in Delhi Metro premises, and a 24x7 control room to keep diseases under check.

Separately, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) in a statement said that its veterinary department has removed the carcasses of more than 500 animals from flood-affected areas over the last two days, and the civic body has deployed 10 mobile dispensaries to prevent the outbreak of water-borne diseases.

An official from MCD’s public health department said the civic body’s field teams have stepped up their efforts towards prevention of water-borne diseases like gastroenteritis, cholera, and typhoid, and vector-borne diseases like dengue, chikungunya, and malaria in the flood-affected areas. “Anti-larval activities like focal spray and fogging are being carried out in relief camps of Bela Village, Rajghat DTC depot, Bagadi Camp Shanti Van, Geeta Colony flyover, Jaitpur, Madanpur Khadar, Batla House. Such spray of alpha cypermethrin insecticide helps against adult mosquitoes for a period of several weeks,” the official said.

A second MCD official said, “We have cleaned the stretch of Ring Road opposite the WHO building, the Bhairon Marg subway, the Taimoor Nagar drain and other affected points. A special cleaning and fogging drive were carried out today in all lanes and back lanes of Hakikat Nagar, where backflow of drain water had occurred. Super sucker machines were used to decongest the drains in Kingsway Camp area.”

Mayor Shelly Oberoi said that the spraying of medicines will be done on a large scale to protect people from vector-borne diseases, and residents can also get insecticide sprayed by calling on MCD’s helpline numbers. “Instructions have been given to all the officers of sanitation and public health should work in a fully active manner. Whenever flood and water-logging conditions arise, there is a danger of spread of diseases. Insecticides will be sprayed are large scale in every area affected by waterlogging,” she added.