By IANS,
New Delhi : With dengue cases in the national capital reaching an alarming figure of 409, opposition Congress municipal councillors Monday protested against the alleged inefficiency of Bharatiya Janata Party-run Municipal Corporation of Delhi in checking the epidemic.
A delegation of ex-MCD officials lead by former mayor Jai Kishan Sharma complained to Lt. Governor Tejinder Khanna saying medicines being used had run expiry dates and that “while 409 cases of dengue have been reported (in Delhi) and many patients died, the Municipal’s data shows only two deaths”.
“The data is alarming and is of grave concern but the current administration is paying no heed to it,” said Sharma at the meeting with Khanna.
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) is the largest of three civic bodies in the Indian capital. It manages over 85 percent of the city’s land area.
According to the delegation, the Delhi government had provided Rs.220 million for initiating measures to combat dengue but a major portion of the amount was wasted on purchase of medicines in larger quantity than required.
Farhad Suri, another ex MCD mayor, said: “The medicines named temiphos (used in water bodies and coolers to prevent breeding of mosquitoes) has been purchased in excess.”
“It is a known fact that such medicines can be only used up to October during the monsoon season when breeding of mosquitoes is congenial, then what was the justification to purchase medicines in large quantity?” Suri questioned.
At present 80,000 kg of medicines is lying unused. This quantity, he said, will be wasted, as it cannot be used anymore.
Sharma also informed the Lt. governor that chlorine tablets being given to citizens for use in drinking water had expired.
“The distribution of such tablets is just like playing with the life of the citizens. The distribution must be stopped immediately,” Sharma said.
The delegation urged Khanna to call for a CBI inquiry into purchase of medicines reaching expiry date.