Several dengue hotspots in city, yet no action by Nagpur Municipal Corporation

NAGPUR: Foul stench rents the air from NMC’s Mangalwari water bill collection office to Anjuman High School stretch in Sadar. The Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has converted the open space adjacent to its indoor fish market into a ‘mini Bhandewadi’, allege shopkeepers and residents from quarters housing over 200 families nearby.
Even though the garbage dumping problem remains unaddressed for years and has only aggravated, the latest dengue scare has residents and commercial establishments more worried.
Mushaib Ansari, who runs a biryani centre at Mangalwari Complex, said government employees residing in quarters are fearful of raising their voice against the garbage dumping. “We approached elected representatives and also filed several complaints to the NMC. But no action has been taken. I have suffered from dengue. People keep falling ill in this area because of unhygienic conditions. Some have even vacated the quarters and left after their children frequently fell ill,” he claimed.
Ansari said beside residents, visitors to religious places, educational institutes and many private offices also have to bear the nuisance.
In East Shankar Nagar, incomplete underground electric cable-laying work has become hotspot for mosquitoes. Activist Akshay Samarth has started a signature campaign regarding the hazards from the incomplete works. “Portion of a playground in Dandige Nagar under prabhag 15 has been converted into a dump yard. Also, the incomplete works have led to water contamination. People in the area are suffering from dengue and other diseases,” he alleged.
A TOI staff highlighted mosquito breeding on an open plot in Narendra Nagar a couple of weeks ago, but no action by the authorities.
Some citizens had been tagging the NMC on Twitter with the sorry state of affairs regarding health and sanitation. “This is the upcoming garbage dump behind WCL Colony in Uppalwadi. Everyone from NMC staff, fish sellers to nearby residents deposit trash here. It is breeding ground for mosquitoes this dengue season. Request NMC to please ensure safety of its citizens,” reads a tweet posted on July 19.
With the month’s dengue tally rising to 162 till date, citizens are now worried of falling ill despite no fault of theirs.
NMC’s malaria and filaria officer Dr Dipali Nasare said spraying larvicide, putting oil and releasing gappi fish in known spots of water contamination is going on. “I am yet to get zone-wise report on breeding spots in the city,” she said.
Dr Gajendra Mahalle, who is holding the charge of solid waste management, said he would check the garbage piling in localities and get them removed.
Meanwhile, divisional commissioner Prajata Lavangare-Verma instructed officials to survey each home where dengue patients have been found. The district has recorded 374 dengue patients, including 162 from city, this year. As per district information office, many children are among those affected.