Anti-dengue operation begins in G-7

ISLAMABAD: As the federal capital continues to receive rain, the Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation (IMC) on Monday launched an operation to destroy dengue larvae in Sector G-7 of the federal capital. Besides this, the IMC teams have also started cleaning storm drains in the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) before the arrival of the monsoon season.

IMC Mayor Sheikh Anser Aziz termed the cleanliness operation critical before the dengue mosquito breeding season. When asked about the cleanliness operation at such an early stage, the mayor said that with the federal capital already suffering from the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic which has claimed three lives and infected 181 others, people will be pushed into deep trouble if a dengue epidemic broke out as well.

Aziz said that it is necessary to take emergency measures.

“Our mission is to facilitate the people and to try to keep them safe from natural catastrophes,” he added, noting that it is their responsibility to protect the health of the public. He further said that the department’s employees are already working on the frontlines in the fight against the pandemic, despite that they will launch an awareness campaign to sensitise the public regarding precautionary measures against the dengue virus.

The larvae culling operation will be supervised by the Health Director General (DG) Dr Hasan Urooj, who will submit daily reports to the relevant officials.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 21^st, 2020.