Hitting back at Delhi government, the north and south municipal corporations today accused it of trying to save face by blaming the civic bodies for rising cases of dengue in the city and politicising the issue.
"Delhi Government is blaming us for rising dengue cases in the city, which is totally wrong and politically motivated. Actually, the government is trying to save its face by laying blame on the Corporations. Government should stop criticising us and focus on its own work," Leader of the House in the South Delhi Municipal Corporation Subhash Arya said.
A total of over 1,700 cases have been detected so far this year and three deaths have been confirmed by the MCD as of yesterday. There are other cases of suspected dengue deaths too being reported.
Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit had yesterday had criticised MCD for the rising number of dengue cases alleging that they were not doing anything to contain its spread.
North Delhi Municipal Corporation Mayor Azad Singh today condemned Dikshit's statement and instead held the state government responsible for the situation.
"The Delhi Government is politicising the issue and taking the spread of the vector-borne disease lightly. It is the government which is responsible for the spread of dengue as many drains of PWD were not desilted during the monsoon.
"Clogged drains and resulting water stagnation in the household periphery also have led to a high-level of mosquito breeding being detected in various areas," the NDMC Mayor said in a statement.
In this regard, the three Mayors, Chairmen of Standing Committee and Leader of House of all three Corporations will meet the Lt Governor of Delhi and protest the allegation of state government, Arya said.
Arya said that the city government has "failed to make proper arrangement for treatment of patients suffering from dengue." He said 700 extra beds arranged by the city government in their hospitals for dengue patients are insufficient.
Meanwhile, all three corporations have intensified their anti-dengue drives.
"SDMC seeing an alarming rise in the number of dengue cases had decided to cancel the holidays of DBC (Domestic Breeding checkers) workers and increased intensive fogging in its areas. We have also deploying more manpower for fumigation and doubled the number of medicines and fogging machine," Arya added.
In a meeting called by the East Delhi Municipal Corporation mayor today, the municipal body discussed dengue and chikunguniya cases in details.
"The east Delhi has detected 368 cases of dengue and the Mayor has directed preventive measures and treatment of patients on a war footing," EDMC Commissioner said.
