PMC ward office acts as mosquito breeding ground

The increasing number of dengue cases being reported in the city, and filmmaker Yash Chopra's death due to the disease has sent a wave of panic in the city.

However, it failed to have any effect on the health of the civic body. Although the PMC claims that it is taking the numbers quite seriously and is doing all to curb the spread of dengue, a visit to its ward offices served as an eye-opener.

File pic

Heaps of articles confiscated during anti-encroachment drives are lying in PMC offices, thereby acting as abode for mosquitoes to breed. In fact, the encroachment inspector of the Ghole Road ward confessed that even they are suffering from mosquito menace. Speaking to MiD DAY, Subhash Talekar said, "During monsoon, there were so many mosquitoes that it was difficult to even sit in the office."

Nursing home: Heaps of articles confiscated during anti-encroachment drives are lying in PMC offices, thereby acting as abode for mosquitoes to breed. Pic/Krunal Gosavi

When asked what precautions they have taken to ensure no mosquito breeding takes place, Talekar said, "We have carried out fogging activity and have even sprayed pesticides." However, this reporter found that no pesticides were sprayed, and there were several spots that were out of reach to carry out any such activity.

But now, with intermittent rains, the water is getting clogged in such items. Though the PMC official have given instruction to all 14-ward offices to clean-up all the junk, no ward office has taken the instruction seriously.

Vaishali Jadhav, assistant health officer of the PMC, said, "We have given instruction to clear up the scrap so that there isn't a chance for mosquitoes to breed," she said.

When this reporter visited the office, he found handcarts and other items seized during anti-encroachment drives lying in the office. The articles are returned to the owner only if he pays the fine. But most of the time the owners don't bother to collect the item, which adds up to the scrap.u00a0

‘No dengue death'
According to PMC health officer S T Pardeshi, no death in the city took place only because to dengue. "Those who died were suffering from other diseases as well. In medical terms. we call it Associated Death."

Fact sheet

Casesu00a0
15 new cases were reported yesterday
160 suspected dengue cases reported this monthu00a0
360 total number of dengue cases reported since April

Staffu00a0
The civic body has less than 50 per cent of the total employee strength required to fight dengue and malaria menace

Field workers: u00a050 per cent short
Dengue investigators: 80 per cent short
Malaria investigators: 57 per cent short

Fogging Machinesu00a0
144: Total number of machinesu00a0
15: Non-functional machines u00a0