The monsoon rains in the course of the last two months have caused frequent episodes of water logging across Delhi NCR. And in Noida, where people allege that fogging drives have been fairly few and far between, several waterlogged sites have turned into convenient spots for mosquito breeding. Consequently, people are contracting water borne diseases like chikungunya, malaria, dengue and others.
The Chief Medical Officer’s office has confirmed 80 cases of malaria, 55 cases of swine flu and two cases of dengue in GB Nagar alone. Delhi Ncr News
Speaking to City Spidey, Anurag Bhargava, Chief Medical Officer of Gautam Budh Nagar, said, “Fogging is conducted by the health department of the city. Also we take help from the Noida Authority and utilise their machines in our fogging drives. These drives are undertaken on a daily basis.”
Bhargava informs that the health department has two big fogging machines which are supplemented by 20 fogging machines of the Noida Authority. Of these machines, six are big and fourteen are small.
“To avert the spread of water borne diseases, the health department has conducted an inspection of more than 300 houses, private hospitals, residential sectors and societies. Even industrial sectors are being inspected,” he added.
The health department officials emphasise that the fog should reach the inside of houses as the vectors are born in stagnant water lying in coolers, air conditioners, pots, ornamental plants, fountains, water tanks and bird feeders. Delhi Local News
Residents of Noida, however are not happy with the quantum of fogging drives. Moreover, they feel that the Noida Authority has not taken sufficient steps to prevent mosquito breeding at open drains, potholes and low-lying areas. They say that some areas have not had a single fogging drive this season. They also rue that usually a worker appointed by the authorities carries out fogging on a bicycle or rickshaw, which obviously falls short of expectations.
Conversely, when City Spidey contacted SK Gupta, project engineer of Noida Authority, he assured that fogging is being carried out in every sector. “Security guards of the sectors and officials of the health department oversee the entire process,” he added.
Incidentally, conscientious RWA’s of some sectors like 19 and 27 have bought hand operated fogging machines to step up prevention efforts against the spread of chikungunya and dengue.
Rajeev Garg, RWA Secretary of Noida Sector 27 states that the fogging conducted by the authorities has not been effective. He further shares that last year every house is Sector 27 had a victim of chikungunya or other water borne diseases. However, this year the number of cases has been lower. “This is because we are fogging the sector every day for an hour with our own machine,” Garg adds.
