Dengue scare: Councillors, residents press for extensive fogging in their wards in Ludhiana
The councillors said, as per the schedule, prepared by Ludhiana MC officials, there are many wards of the city where fogging will be conducted only twice or thrice in the entirety of July
At a time when the health department is warning the residents of dengue disease, councillors and residents have slammed the municipal corporation (MC) over the alleged inadequate fogging schedule prepared by the civic body.
The councillors said, as per the schedule, prepared by the MC officials, there are many wards of the city where fogging will be conducted only twice or thrice in the entirety of July. Dubbing it insufficient, they said employees will not even be able to cover the entire ward in this period.
They demanded that the civic body replan the fogging drive in the city so that the residents would not bear the brunt for the failure in taking up the process properly.
Speaking about the same, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) councillor Manju Aggarwal “The machines remain operational for around 45 minutes in one shift and can cover maximum upto 15 streets in this period. There are at least 200 streets in my ward only. How will the MC cover the entire area in two days?”
“The officials are only doing a formality and are putting the lives of residents in danger. The MC should replan the drive and more machines should be purchased if required to take up fogging properly,” she added.
The councillors alleged that the fund-starved MC was putting the safety of residents at stake, further demanding that each ward should be properly covered under the fogging drive every week.
District president of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and councillor Harbhajan Singh Dang said the civic body has also failed to distribute handy fogging machines to the councillors this year, adding that the machines should be distributed at the earliest so that those can be used at the time of emergency.
He further pressed for the MC to ensure that fogging should be conducted in each ward at least once a week.
Residents, meanwhile, demanded regular fogging be conducted in the city as a large number of dengue and chikungunya cases are reported in the city every year.
Detailing the plan, MC health officer Vipal Malhotra said a total of 13 machines are being used for take up fogging in the city, which was being done in the high-risk areas only.
He added that the schedules will be revised in the coming days and proper fogging will be done in the city to keep the residents safe, assuring that handy machines will also be given to the councillors soon.