KARACHI, Nov 6: The growing number of complaints from the areas controlled by cantonment boards (CBs), DHA, KPT and other land owning agencies has led the city government to suggest for a joint fumigation campaign irrespective of the issue of jurisdiction across the city to effectively end the dengue menace.
However, the cantonment boards and the DHA officials insist that they have done a great deal in protecting people residing in their localities from mosquitoes carrying dengue virus.
City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal said that the city government had planned to fumigate the areas outside its limits later this week alongside the respective land owning agencies including DHA, cantonment boards, KPT etc.
“I had extended an open offer to the heads of all the land owning agencies at a recent meeting on fumigation campaign held at the Governor’s House and got a positive response from them,” Mr Kamal told Dawn.
He said that the city government and all the towns had already fumigated the city twice while half of the towns had done it thrice.
“The remaining towns would complete the third round of fumigation in a day or two and we will be able to start fumigation drive in the areas owned by other agencies from Wednesday or Thursday,” informed the city nazim.
Mr Kamal said that during that meeting though all the heads of other agencies and cantonment boards had consented to his offer for a joint fumigation drive irrespective of the fact who owned which locality but a direct official response was still awaited.
The city nazim said that a large number of cases were being reported from Korangi, DHA and other localities, which did not fall in his jurisdiction but he had in principle decided not to raise an issue of jurisdiction.
“We cannot afford to engage in the issues of jurisdiction because the problem is typical and devoid of boundaries and we all have to tackle it with joint effort,” the nazim said.
He said that the city government’s dedicated complaint centre was receiving reports of mosquito presence from all over the city and most of the complaints were being attended to on an emergency basis.
“We have only 34 per cent of Karachi in our control but patients of the viral haemorrhagic fever and dengue fever are being admitted to hospitals from every locality, we cannot leave those who do not reside in our jurisdiction.”
He said that the city government had not more than five fumigation machines till early this year but now it had equipped itself better with a total of 70 machines. He said that city government would help the cantonment boards and other land owning agencies to tackle the crisis and protecting their residents from dengue and other threats.
He said that only a joint campaign by all the agencies could destroy the dangers of dengue and he could not turn a deaf ear to the appeals of the people of the localities for help who live outside his limits.
Recently, at a high-level meeting chaired by Federal Health Minister Naseer A. Khan, the city government representatives had accused the cantonment boards, KPT and the DHA of not taking appropriate and prompt measures to protect the people of their respective areas from dengue.
Representatives of some cantonment boards said that they were using all available resources for fumigating their respective areas.
A spokesman for DHA said in a statement that the Clifton Cantonment Board (CCB) had enough resources; capacity and funds to effectively launch the campaign without the help of any other agency.
He said a number of fog generators, vehicle fitted spraying pumps and fumigation machines were operating round-the-clock to fight dengue and other deadly viruses. He said that the CCB on the instructions of the DHA administrator had launched a fumigation campaign since August 2006 in its area of jurisdiction.
A spokesman for the Cantonment Board Karachi said it had started its vector control drive soon after monsoon rains. “All the areas in our jurisdiction are being sprayed thrice a day. The executive officer has formed a dedicated cell for this purpose, which has been equipped with adequate manpower and equipments. Similarly, two complaint centers have been established which are working round-the- clock,” the spokesman informed.
KARACHI, Nov 6: The growing number of complaints from the areas controlled by cantonment boards (CBs), DHA, KPT and other land owning agencies has led the city government to suggest for a joint fumigation campaign irrespective of the issue of jurisdiction across the city to effectively end the dengue menace.
