Dengue epidemic is everyone’s problem: Environment secy

LAHORE:

“The dengue fever epidemic is everyone’s problem…we cannot end it till everyone plays an active role to end it,” Environment Secretary Iqbal Chauhan said on Sunday.

He was presiding over a meeting to check progress on the eradication of dengue mosquitoes in the Punjab.

The environment secretary stressed the need to shore up the anti-dengue campaign in Multan and Rawalpindi. “All out resources have been provided to relevant officers in this regard and they can call me directly if there’s any problem,” Chauhan said.

A report presented at the meeting said anti-dengue squads of the Environment Department had checked 18,738 tyre shops, 11,887 warehouses, junkyards and 2,200 nurseries in 2,018 union councils in Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Sheikhupura, Multan and Rawalpindi this year.  Notices have been issued to 4,157 people for violating regulations and 348 cases have been registered. The report said 238 buildings were sealed after dengue mosquito larvae were found at 212 places. Chauhan said owners and contractors of construction sites must dispose of stored water every other day so that dengue larvae did not breed.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 2^nd, 2015.