VMC set to fight dengue menace

VARANASI: Flooded with complaints from locals about the stagnant water in their streets after heavy rains, Varanasi Municipal Corporation has launched an anti-larval drive to prevent the spread of vector-borne diseases like dengue in the city. The drive has already been launched in several areas of the city but VMC officials would start with fogging exercises more effectively once the weather normalizes. The city witnessed heavy rains since the past two days and many areas in Varanasi were waterlogged. In the wake of the dengue scare, residents have approached the municipal corporation to take action. "The drive has already been launched with the support of district health department to prevent the outbreak of vector-borne diseases," said VMC health officer, AK Dubey. The areas already covered so far under the drive are Ramnagar, Bhelupur, Sonarpura, Gaurigunj, Shivala, Shri Vidyamath Gali, Harishchandra Ghat, Bhaidini, Snbhedre, Assi-Lanka Rad, Pushkar Talab, Dumraobagh Colony, Jagannath Mandir, Sattibada Gali, Ramanujnagar, Lolark Kund Gali, Goyanka Gali, Ravindrapuri Colony, Durgakund slum, Ghasiyari Tola, CMO office campus, Gurudham Colony and Kabirnagar. Dubey also said that the drive will be intensified in the coming few days and the corporation would pay special attention to mosquito-prone areas. "Larvicide will be used extensively besides fogging chemical to kill the larvae at the source," he added. Varanasi locals, however, claim that the problem is not new and they face such issues every year, even as the district administration has failed to find a permanent solution to the problem. "We have been constantly complaining about the large number of mosquitoes breeding in several localities. It's the same story every year. As VMC ists idle, we are left with no choice but to rely on mosquito nets and mosquito-repellant creams," said Ayan, a resident of Lanka area. Suraj Prakash, a resident of Kamaccha area, said "It's not just the stagnant water but the heaps of garbage lying in the open that needs to be checked."Varanais district magistrate Yogeshwar Ram Mishra met officials of different departments on Tuesday and directed them to collect feedback on the problems faced by locals in different wards.