Kolkata: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has held the Centre responsible for rising number of dengue cases in the state.
At a recent meeting in the state secretariat, she took stock of the preparedness to combat dengue and other diseases and came to the conclusion that dengue cases are high in areas that are close Metro Railway construction sites in the city and its suburbs.
She said that the dengue is spreading because of garbage accumulation in the Metro Railways construction areas. “These incidents took place in areas where construction for the metro railway is going on, and where a lot of garbage had accumulated. The areas are under the control of the central government and they are not allowing the local bodies to clean them,” she said.
She asked the district authorities as well as the people to be alert and not get swayed by those spreading panic.
“In Deganga (North 24-Parganas district) only one person had died due to dengue. But news reports give the impression that there has been a death parade, and people are running away from their homes. If there is an outbreak of a disease, it is our duty to take preventive measures. But one should not spread canards. Spreading rumours is a crime,” Mamata said.
In the last one year, nearly 13,500 people have been affected by the vector-borne disease.
While sharing statistics on dengue deaths in Bengal, she said, “Total 14 people have died due to dengue in recent times and during the last seven to eight months, 30 people in all have died due to dengue.”
The Health Department said it has taken preventive measures in all the municipal areas. More than 50 blood testing facilities and several fever camps have been set up across the state. Free medical vans were pressed in several areas to help people suffering from fever.
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