Chandigarh residents rue lack of fogging

Chandigarh, October 21

Amid rising cases of dengue, residents from various localities in the city have complained about lack of fogging and other preventive measures to check to the spread of the vector-borne diseases.

As of today, the number of dengue cases reported from the city stands at 508 and the fatalities three.

Nirmal Sharma, a resident of Sector 33, said, “Two people are down with dengue at my house. Despite repeated attempts, we could not contact the authorities concerned. Fogging is not being done in our locality. Chandigarh is known for its cleanliness, but the prevailing situation paints a bad picture of the city. Fogging should be carried out before the onset of rainy season to kill mosquitoes and other insects spreading diseases. Why the authorities wait for cases to go up before springing into action?”

She added that as helpline numbers don’t function properly, they eventually have nowhere to go for redressal.

Jaswinder Kaur, a resident of Sector 21-C whose son is suffering from dengue, said there had been a delay in anti-fogging operations, which led to the rise in cases. “Only a few days ago, fogging was carried out in our locality. It’s too late. The situation has already gone out of control,” she added.

UT Health Secretary Yashpal Garg said, “Fogging is being carried out as per the Government of India guidelines, wherever there is an outbreak. Excessive fogging can also lead to health issues like difficulty in breathing. Adequate precautions are being taken to control the spread of dengue infection. A proper fogging schedule is prepared on a daily basis.”— TNS