LAHORE: As many as 450 teams constituted by the City District Government of Lahore (CDGL) for a regular dengue surveillance found several houses locked, as some residents had gone to their native towns to celebrate Eidul Fitr and some were out visiting relatives.

Officials said the absence of the residents for a longer period might lead to massive breeding of dengue larvae due to accumulated rainwater on rooftops. They said they had marked such houses and were revisiting them in case the residents had returned, Dawn learnt.

“Closure of houses has become a great headache for us, as the visiting teams are returning without surveillance. As soon as residents return, we will start dengue surveillance there,” said District Coordination Officer (DCO) retired Captain Muhammad Usman.

He said the CDGL constituted 450 teams for 150 union councils -- three in each -- to carry out surveillance of all graveyards, shops, buildings under construction, parks, open spaces and junkyards. He said the teams headed by experts were spraying insecticides wherever they found the larvae.

The DCO claimed the situation in graveyards was more serious, as people continued being irresponsible. He said officials had asked the public several times not to place pots of water near graves, but they did not stop. Now, the officials had started breaking the pots they found.

“Despite all this, people don’t listen, enabling dengue to breed. Similarly, residents don’t bother to check their rooftops. Such a behaviour shows they don’t want to cooperate with us,” DCO Usman added.

He said according to Standard Operating Procedures, each house was to be checked thrice a month. He said he had found several officials being negligent in their jobs.

“During Eid holidays, I have issued show-cause notices to many officials, including an entomologist in Ravi Town. As soon as I get their replies, I will take stern action against them. And if they are found being negligent again, they will be dismissed from service,” the DCO warned.

He appealed to the people to join hands with the CDGL in eradicating dengue in all UCs. He also advised officials to strictly follow the SOPs and get them implemented by all stakeholders, including public and shopkeepers.

He said the CDGL was in contact with the departments concerned, including environment and fisheries.

“The fisheries department has also been asked to release mosquito-eating fish where rainwater has accumulated,” he added.

Published in Dawn, Aug 2nd , 2014