National Dengue Prevention Day: Mayor calls for clean houses and surroundings

Hyderabad: On the National Dengue Prevention Day, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation conducted an awareness programme on dengue prevention on Tuesday. City Mayor Gadwal Vijayalakshmi said every Sunday morning citizens should clean their houses and surroundings under the ‘Every Sunday at 10 am for 10 minutes’ campaign.

Following the rise in cases, specially diseases like dengue and malaria, the authorities have taken up campaigns to create public awareness about the need for destroying mosquito larva and their growing areas like planters, old tyres and waste bottles.

The Mayor, along with officials, released an awareness poster and pamphlets on precautions to be taken to prevent dengue.

Vijayalakshmi said awareness programs should be organized this year at every house with the theme of let’s eradicate dengue disease by using participatory methods. In order to prevent mosquitoes house surroundings should be cleaned from time to time without water storage.

She said lids of overhead water tanks inhouses and above house should be tight to prevent mosquito larvae from being stored. Rubber tyres, drums, plastic items, flower pots without water storage in house surroundings should be cleaned.

She stressed that damaged items, plastic and polythene items should be removed without water storage, making them unsuitable for mosquitoes.

“Mosquitoes can be prevented by removing weeds and growing basil, mint, citronella grass and lemon grass,” she added.

The staff should ensure that sewage does not accumulate in surroundings of houses. Water going out of houses should be arranged in such a way that it goes into drains. Small puddles and pits that lead to water storage in surroundings of houses should be filled up.

The Mayor said “dengue, chicken pox and malaria diseases should be eradicated. Oil balls should be used to prevent mosquito larvae in ponds. Dropping Gambusia fish into ponds can deter mosquitoes. Action should be taken to prevent indiscriminate garbage dumping. If a dengue positive case is registered, measures are being taken to prevent it from spreading to others through sprayer, she said.

Chief Entomologist Dr Rambabu, Jubilee Hills Deputy Commissioner Rajinikanth, Khairtabad SE Rajitha, sanitation staffwere present.