Dengue control workers' union go on strike in Delhi

Amid a rise in dengue cases in Delhi, scores of city municipal workers, who are at the forefront of the fight against vector-borne diseases, began their indefinite strike on Monday.

Authorities at the Municipal Corporation of Delhi have been appealing to these workers to reconsider their decision in view of the spike in dengue cases in the last few weeks.

The strike by DBC (dengue breeding checking) workers is taking place under the banner of the Anti-Malaria Ekta Karmachari Union, on a day the MCD House is set to convene for a meeting.

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"We had recently served the notice to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) via its mayor and commissioner, saying that our members will go on an indefinite strike from July 31, if our long-pending demands are not met before that. Since our demands have not been met, we have gone on strike," the Union's president, Devanand Sharma, said.

He said a discussion is currently under way with an additional commissioner of the MCD at the Civic Centre.

Authorities are asking us to call off the strike in view of the rising cases of dengue, he said.

The strike by DBC workers could spell trouble for Delhi, as due to early monsoon rains and recent flooding in parts of Delhi because of the rising water levels of Yamuna, there is a threat of a rise in cases of dengue and other vector-borne diseases.

The strike began in the morning and a large number of DBC workers, many holding placards, gathered outside gate no. 5 of the Civic Centre to lodge their protest.

Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi earlier had assured that the demands of the workers will be looked into.

There are about 3,000 dengue breeding checking (DBC) workers in the MCD and 2,000 field workers.

Fifty-six fresh cases of dengue have been reported in Delhi in the last week, according to a municipal report issued on Monday.

The capital city had recorded 187 cases of the vector-borne disease till July 22.

According to the latest report issued by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, the tally had risen to 243 till July 28.

The report also said that 72 cases of malaria have been recorded in the January 1-July 28 period.