Kejriwal asks Centre to participate in anti-dengue drive

New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday wrote to Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Harsh Vardhan urging the Central government to participate in the anti-dengue awareness campaign, '10 Hafte 10 Baje 10 Minute', to ensure the prevention of vector-borne diseases in the national capital.

In his letter, the Chief Minister stated that the Delhi government on September 1 initiated a mass awareness campaign to make people aware of keeping their homes and surroundings free of mosquito breeding spots.

Under the campaign, "the entire city residents have been appealed to spend 10 minutes at 10 a.m. every Sunday for the next 10 weeks in checking their homes and around to ensure there is no stagnant clean water anywhere where the Aedes Mosquitoes can breed", Kejriwal wrote.

"I began this campaign from my home on Sunday and so did all my Ministerial colleagues, MLAs, Councillors and Delhi government officers. We will continue this campaign for the next 10 Sundays, till November 15, since prevention of any kind of mosquito breeding is the most effective way to curb the spread of Dengue and Chikungunya," he added.

Inviting the Union Health Minister, Kejriwal said: "I invite you and all Central government Ministers to participate in this campaign. Your participation will inspire many others to participate."

He informed that the Delhi government has now directed all its employees to participate in the campaign.

Kejriwal asked them to check their homes at 10 a.m. every Sunday and their offices at 11 a.m. every Friday.

"I would, therefore, request you to issue a similar appeal to all the Central government employees since a large number of the Centre's officers and employees reside in the city," Kejriwal added in the letter.