LAHORE, Aug 26: All City District Government of Lahore (CGDL) departments remained open on Sunday working on awareness raising strategies among the public on dengue and carried out spray in several areas of the city, press releases say.

As the first measure, civic agencies such as the Lahore Development Authority (LDA), Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA), Lahore Waste Management Company (LWMC) and Transport Engineering and Planning Agency, Town Municipal Administrations (TMAs) and the district health and education departments carried out cleanliness and anti-mosquito spray in their offices. Provincial departments too performed the same work.

CDGL: At a workshop at Town Hall, District Coordination Officer (DCO) Noorul Amin Mengal urged the public to participate in the campaign. “We have put 3,251 junkyards, 1,199 buildings’ basement and 1,552 under-construction buildings under surveillance and we hope that this year dengue will be eliminated permanently,” he said.

He said the anti-mosquito thermal fogging and inter-residual spray would also be carried out in the focused areas of the city. He asked the people use full-sleeve shirts and mosquito repellents. LDA: A training programme on ‘Causes and Prevention of Dengue Fever’ was held at the LDA Community Centre in Muslim Town where entomologist Saeedur Rehman said that the eradication of breeding places of dengue mosquito was the most successful mechanism to combat the challenge.

“As the stagnant water helps breed and growth of mosquitoes, the people should keep all of their places at homes and offices dry all the time,” he said. WASA: Wasa Managing Director Mian Abdullah inspected water disposal stations and offices and monitored the cleanliness and anti-dengue spray work there. He also got a room cooler cleaned at Gulshan-i-Ravi disposal station.

WALKS: An awareness rally on dengue mosquitoes was organised by the Wahga Town municipal administration. Started from the Wahga town’s Deputy District Officer, the rally concluded at Manawan. Officials visited various streets and colonies and distributed dengue awareness handbills, kits and pamphlets among the residents.

Another walk was arranged by the Aziz Bhatti TMA that was led by MPA Haji Allah Rakha. He said the administration had planned several dengue-related activities.

UET: The University of Engineering and Technology held a seminar on dengue at its Chemical Department.

DENGUE KITS: Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan and MNA Mian Marghoob also led a rally at Union Council-89. They along with Samanabad Town officials visited streets and distributed 2,500 dengue kits among the residents.

SOCIAL WELAFRE: The Punjab Social Welfare and Women Development Department also launched an awareness raising activities on dengue virus by involving local NGOs.