Residents blame lax civic body for rising dengue cases in Kalyan east

After residents of Kalyan (East) complained of increasing dengue cases, the municipal corporation on Friday surveyed the area and found 11 suspected cases.Around

After residents of Kalyan (East) complained of increasing dengue cases, the municipal corporation on Friday surveyed the area and found 11 suspected cases.Around 10,000 residents live in Ganeshwadi, Kolsewadi, Laxmibaug, Anandwadi in Kalyan (East).

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Residents informed Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) that there were many cases of dengue-like symptoms.Umesh Birhade, 49, is a resident of Katemanivali, Pune Link road. His 16-year-old son is in hospital and he tested positive for dengue. “Many people in Kalyan east are suffering from dengue, and most of them are children. My son had high fever and his platelet count was reducing. He is undergoing treatment,” said Birhade.

Former corporator Nitin Nikam’s son Tanay is being treated for dengue and is admitted to a private hospital. “I have learnt that several residents are suffering from dengue. I approached the civic body demanding measures to fight the disease,” said Nikam, a resident of Ganeshwadi.

Since Thursday, KDMC health department took up a survey, sprayed medicines and started an awareness campaign. The team of civic employees surveyed houses in these areas and found dengue larvae in around 30 sites.

A 44-year-old autorickshaw driver said three of his family members, including his 15-year-old son, are suffering from dengue for the past one week. “The blood test report confirmed dengue. I spent around ₹30,000 for their treatment,” said Sunil More, who lives in Pawan Ganga building at Durga Mata Mandir road.

The KDMC team spoke to residents on how to prevent the disease. The officials put up banners on chawl premises, informing residents of the symptoms and how to prevent the disease from spreading. “In the past, dengue larvae were found on the premises of KDMC’s Gita Harkisan Das hospital in Kolsewadi. If the civic body had taken measures immediately, there wouldn’t have been so many cases of dengue in our area. This is KDMC’s negligence which has led to the spread of the disease,” added Nikam.

Nikam has planned to hold a free health check-up camp next week in these areas and educate residents on dengue. Five from a family in Shivaji Nagar in Kalyan (East) are suffering from dengue. “We have not seen any civic worker spray medicines or clean the area. KDMC woke up only after many complained about the increasing dengue cases,” said Mukund Patil, 40, a resident of Laxmibaug.

KDMC has put up banners outside chawls educating people about dengue. Deputy commissioner of KDMC, Milind Dhat, said, “We met residents and asked them to take precautionary steps. We put up banners and the civic team sprayed medicines in these areas.”

He added, “During the survey, we found 11 suspected dengue cases and the patients are undergoing treatment in private hospitals. We will send the reports lab for testing, followed by which, we will declare whether they are confirmed dengue cases.”