Delhi govt instructs departments to prevent spreading of dengue, malaria

New Delhi [India], July 5 (ANI): Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj on Friday said that all concerned departments have been instructed to prevent the accumulation of water in their respective jurisdictions to prevent the risk of dengue, chikungunya, and malaria amid the monsoon season.

Delhi Minister on Monday will conduct a meeting with the managing directors (MDs) of the hospital to review their preparedness for such situations.

Speaking with ANI, the Minister of Health of Delhi, Saurabh Bhardwaj, said, “When the rainy season starts, the risk of dengue, chikungunya, and malaria increases. In such a situation, we had discussions with all the departments. We have sent instructions to the DDA, MCD, PWD, NDMC, and Health Department to ensure that water does not accumulate in their respective jurisdictions to prevent the breeding of mosquitos. Hospitals have also been alerted to keep all the information related to dengue. They are also instructed to keep a record of data on the number of cases. We have asked them if any change or anything is needed, the government will work towards it.”

Informing about the government’s meeting with the Managing Directors of hospitals, Bhardwaj stated, “We had a meeting with the Health Department on this subject 2-3 days ago and today a meeting of all the departments has been held. On Monday, we called the MDs of the hospitals so that the preparation of the hospitals can be reviewed.”

Since Delhi was lashed with heavy rains, the Minister of Health of Delhi, Saurabh Bhardwaj said that the water level in Delhi rose because there was a water discharge from the Hathinikund Barrage and the gates of ITO Barrage weren’t opened.

Earlier, while addressing media persons at the Delhi Secretariat, the Minister of Health of Delhi, Saurabh Bhardwaj, said, “The water level in Delhi suddenly rose due to discharge from the Hathinikund Barrage and it wasn’t generated in Delhi. A government report has also proved that the water level in Delhi rose because the gates of ITO Barrage weren’t opened. After requesting the Haryana Government multiple times, the gates were finally opened and the ones that weren’t opened were cut.”

The ITO Barrage is controlled by the Haryana Government.

Highlighting the formation of islands in the Yamuna due to low water levels, the Minister said, “The low water levels of Yamuna had resulted in the formation of islands in the river. To address this problem, we have made “pilot cuts” on those islands. It is a scientific way to remove the silt when the water level of the river rises. This way, the islands of the Yamuna can be cleared.”

“Additionally, we have talked to the central government agencies such as DMRC and other agencies that are working on Yamuna in different places. We have told them to limit the obstructions on the river, which will also benefit us.”

Speaking on the flood control room, Bhardwaj asserted, “This time, the flood control room that has been constituted in the DM East Office is fully computerised, so that we can have the real-time data about the water discharge from the Hathinikund Barrage.”

Hathinikund Barrage is situated in the Yamunanagar district of Haryana.

Earlier, on June 28, the Delhi government held an emergency meeting in view of heavy rains and waterlogging in the national capital.

Following the meeting, Bharadwaj said that several decisions were taken in the meeting to tackle water logging in the national capital.

“The Traffic Police and area representatives have been told to identify the vulnerable areas for waterlogging and make a list of it. The Chief Secretaries have been told to review the list of all the departments… There are a lot of areas that witness waterlogging due to inter-departmental issues… It will be constantly monitored…,” Bharadwaj said.

Bharadwaj shared that the national capital last received so much rain in 1936.”Delhi has received heavy rainfall in the last 24 hours. I was reading the weather report that there has never been so much rain in the month of June after 1936…,” Delhi Urban Development Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj told ANI before the meeting.