MINGORA: Swat deputy commissioner Mahmood Aslam Wazir on Tuesday called for better public awareness to fight dengue, a mosquito-borne infectious disease.

Wazir told Dawn that the administration had taken various steps for dengue prevention and control in Swat over the last few months and public awareness campaign was among them.

“The people should be educated on ways and means to prevent dengue,” he said.

The deputy commissioner said it was a good sign that no one had died of dengue fever during the current year.

He said 109 Mingora residents had tested positive for dengue during the current year and 105 of them were treated at a local hospital. Wazir said four dengue patients were under treatment.

He said the administration had destroyed larvae of the dengue-causing mosquito at 1,400 places in Mingora city.

The deputy commissioner said the administration would continue efforts to protect people against dengue.

Earlier, he along with relevant administration officials visited Mingora localities hit by dengue virus over the last two months and examined anti-dengue campaigns.

Among those areas were Skha Cheena, Amankot, Faizabad and other surrounding areas of Mingora city. Wazir said the administration had been taking preventive measures against the mosquito-borne disease in the district for five months.

He said better public awareness was the best way to fight dengue. “Every resident of the district should play due role in the fight against dengue,” he said.

The deputy commissioner said anti-dengue chemicals had been sprayed in Mingora localities hit by the infectious disease.

FAMILY SEEKS JUSTICE: Members of a family from Shahdehri, a far-flung area of Swat district, on Tuesday warned they would commit suicide together if the authorities didn’t ensure early return of their looted money.

Salu Khan told reporters at the Swat Press Club that he had paid Rs5 million to Pervaiz of Manerai area for land but later he found out that the land was allotted to him using bogus documents.

He said instead of acting against the fraudster, the Shahdheri police misbehaved with him and even tortured him and family members.

The man demanded that the authorities step in and ensure early return of the looted money and strict action against the fraudster. He warned he along with members of family would commit suicide if they were denied justice.

Published in Dawn, August 27th, 2014