BJP-led corporations launch mega dengue awareness campaign in Delhi

The party has asked its leaders, including all seven Members of Parliament (MPs) from Delhi, members of the Delhi legislative assembly (MLAs) to participate in the month-long campaign

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led municipal corporations in the national capital will launch a mega campaign to create awareness about dengue and other vector-borne diseases on Tuesday morning.

With municipal elections scheduled in 2022, the BJP has put its entire state machinery behind the campaign. (Saumya Khandelwal/HT PHOTO)

Jai Prakash, mayor, North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC), along with BJP national vice-president Shyam Jaju will participate at a programme on Flagstaff Road in front of Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence, while Anamika Mithilesh, mayor, South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC), will start the campaign from the Civic Centre.

With municipal elections scheduled in 2022, the BJP has put its entire state machinery behind the campaign, as the party is hoping to win a fourth consecutive term.

The BJP has been ruling the three corporations in Delhi since 2007.

Last August, the Aam Aadmi Party(AAP)-led Delhi government had launched a campaign — “10 Hafte-10 Baje-10 Minute” — to tackle the number of dengue, chikungunya and other vector-borne disease cases in Delhi.

CM Kejriwal had urged the public to check their residence every Sunday for mosquito breeding. Several celebrities had also supported the campaign.

This time around, the BJP is leaving nothing to chance. The party has asked its leaders, including all seven Members of Parliament (MPs) from Delhi, members of the Delhi legislative assembly (MLAs) to participate in the month-long campaign.

“It was the municipal corporations, which did everything to control dengue and chikungunya. We were doing the work on the ground but the government took credit. They hijacked it. This time we are set not only to take measures to control dengue, chikungunya and malaria cases, but also to spread awareness among masses about these vector-borne diseases. The public should also know that MCDs are working for them tirelessly,” said mayor Jai Prakash.

He said the importance of campaign could be gauged from the fact that all seven MPs, BJP MLAs and state BJP leadership would take part in the campaign and “convey the message” to the masses.

BJP MPs Manoj Tiwari, Meenakshi Lekhi and Hans Raj Hans will spread awareness among masses about vector-borne diseases at Civil Lines, Karol Bagh, and Narela, respectively. All eight party MLAs have been asked to campaign in their areas.

The Delhi government’s campaign last year had led to a tussle between the AAP and the BJP. While the BJP had accused the ruling party of taking away the credit from municipal officials, who have worked hard to limit the number of vector-borne disease cases, the AAP had accused the BJP of trying to negate Delhi government’s campaign to combat dengue by “politicising the seasonal disease”.

Spread of vector-borne diseases is a major issue in the national capital.

According to civic records, in 2015, as many as 15,867 dengue cases were reported and 60 people had died. The number of dengue cases in 2019 was controlled at 2,036 and two deaths were reported.

The AAP has already started its preparations for the civic polls. According to AAP functionaries, the party has started strengthening its workforce on the ground for civic elections. The AAP has also started cornering BJP-ruled municipalities on issues such as corruption, laxity of work, and sanitation, among others.

According to civic records, till August 17, 41 cases of dengue, 26 cases of chikungunya and 48 cases of malaria has been reported in the national capital. No death has been reported due to dengue, chikungunya and malaria to date in Delhi.

Mayor Mithilesh said, “Municipal staff and BJP leaders will visit households in different areas and appeal to the public not to let water accumulation happen to prevent mosquito breeding. We will also distribute pamphlets carrying information about preventive measures to be taken by people for dengue, malaria and chikungunya.”

The domestic breeding checkers (DBC) and sanitation employees will visit every household to check water accumulation in the buildings. The fogging exercises and spray of anti-larva solution has already started in most of the localities of the city and it will be intensified.

Vikas Goel, an AAP member and the leader of opposition in NDMC, described the move as an eye wash and a “photo opportunity” for BJP leaders.

“Instead of such photo opportunities they should do some work on the ground. They should make efforts for continuous fogging, in-house checking and spray of anti-larva chemicals to prevent breeding of mosquitoes,” alleged Goel.