Secunderabad Cantonment Board sees spike in vector-borne diseases

Secunderabad: The vector-borne diseases are on rise in the city and residents of Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB) are fearing a lot. Daily around 50 - 60 fever cases are being reported in Cantonment General Hospital and Primary Health Centres. Also due to recent rains, water logging has aggravated mosquitoes' menace in the locality. In spite of several complaints by the residents, SCB officials have not initiated fogging operation till date.

According to District Medical and Health Officer (DMHO), Dr J Venkati, in just few days 20 cases of dengue have been reported from SCB area.

"As seasonal diseases are on rise in city, many dengue cases have been reported from our colony. Also due to recent rains, many areas are facing water logging issues. Also this time fogging should be done to eradicate mosquitoe menace but no action has been taken yet," said, T Satish Gupta, president of Vasavinagar Welfare Association, SCB.

"The entire stretch of our colony has turned into a breeding ground for mosquitoes because of waterlogging and open nala. We are fed up of complaining to officials. Last year fogging was done just once in a month but this year no one has turned up do it. Due to this issue we have stopped opening our doors and windows. The concerned authority must take up this perennial problem and at least start fogging drive regularly," said, Suresh Kumar, another resident of SCB.

Disagreeing with the allegations, a senior officer of sanitation department, SCB, said, "Keeping in the mind of current situation, SCB sanitation department has undertaken extra sanitation work to control vector-borne diseases in the area. Weekly once fogging operation is being conducted in all the eight wards in SCB."