Dengue stings PMC at General Body meeting

At the General Body meeting held in the PMC headquarters yesterday, several corporators expressed disappointment over steps taken by the civic body to curb the spread of dengue. They also claimed that despite the ongoing cleanliness drive, the civic body had failed miserably to control dengue outbreak in the city.

Inaction
Ironically, dengue cases shot up soon after the PMC started its year-long cleanliness drive on October 1. Corporator Varsh Tapkir told MiD DAY that the cleanliness drive is just a sham. "Dengue cases have shot up because the city is not clean. I've complained several times to the PMC officers about overflowing garbage bins in my ward, but no action has been taken yet."

Ashwini Kadam, another corporator, expressed her angst. "There's inadequate manpower to control mosquito menace. Besides, the city is looking so ugly. If this is what the cleanliness drive will lead to, then the Mayor should keep the campaign to herself."

Lack of manpower
While another councillor Arvind Shinde claimed that the PMC neither has proper equipment, nor adequate manpower to fight dengue. He also alleged that despite the increase in dengue cases in the city, the civic body has cut down the number of medical officers at ward levels.