Rainy season on yet no sign of fogging

Sukhmeet Bhasin

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Tribune News Service

Bathinda, July 15

Even as monsoon has arrived, the Municipal Corporation Bathinda (MCB) is yet to start fogging in the city.

The main reason behind the delay is that the medicine meant to be sprayed is out of stock. The MCB is waiting for the new stock to come.

During a random survey of the city, a Bathinda Tribune team observed that sewage and rainwater was still accumulated at various places and has become a breeding ground for mosquitoes.

Dr Satish Jindal from the Civil Hospital said there was an increase in cases of diarrhoea, vomiting and stomach ache.

They are getting around 15-20 patients suffering from these problems every day, he said.

He said three patients of malaria visited the hospital in the last three days.

Jindal said the Health Department had set up intense diarrhoea counters.

“We provide ORS and zinc tablets to people and also provide information to them regarding these diseases,” he said.

Sonu Maheshwari, president of NGO Naujawan Welfare Society, claimed it was the same old story as MCB officials hardly did fogging in the city.

He said it was sad that the MCB had not learnt any lesson from the last year’s dengue patients’ count.

Congress leader and councillor Jagroop Singh Gill said it was an administrative failure. The MCB should have started fogging in advance in this rainy season, he added.

He demanded that fogging should be immediately started in the city.

A shopkeeper alleged that many a time, he had complained over the phone to officials of the Municipal Corporation that water was accumulated in front of his shop on Goniana road near Rose Garden chowk.

But despite repeated complaints, no action was ever taken in this regard.

MCB chief sanitary inspector Ranbir Rana said at present, fogging was not going on but they would start it within a few days. He said fogging was last done in April.

Senior deputy mayor Tarsem Goyal said due to the shortage of medicine, fogging was temporarily suspended, but they would get the stock by Wednesday.