Dengue: 'Tumakuru dist administration must act now'

The members of Communist Party (Marxist), Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) and Centre for Indian Trade Unions (CITU) staged a protest here on Thursday, demanding the deputy commissioner to visit the dengue-affected wards and take necessary measures to curb the menace.

The agitators staged a sit-in in front of BSNL office for a while. The protesters then tried to lay siege to Deputy Commissioner's office and Zilla Panchayat office.

The people are already reeling under severe drought. The farmers and the daily wagers do not have money to get treatment for dengue for themselves and their kin at private hospitals.

The district administration and the Health department should make necessary arrangements at the government hospitals to provide treatment to the dengue and chikungunya patients, the protesters demanded. 

Addressing the protesters CPM city unit secretary S Raghavendra said, "Several people have died due to dengue fever. Many are suffering from the dengue fever in Tumakuru, Sira, Kunigal, Gubbi taluks among others. The poor, in particular, are finding it difficult to take treatment at private hospitals, who charge exorbitant rates."

Tumakuru Mahanagara Palike should convene an emergency meeting to deliberate on the measures to be taken to curb dengue. The local body should take urgent measures to control the menace. It should appoint civic workers based on the population, he said.

The district administration should ensure sufficient stocks of platelets at district hospital,  the CPM leader said.

CPM committee member E Shivanna said, The number of people suffering from dengue fever is on the rise. Many patients are forced to take treatment at hospitals in Bengaluru because of the lack of facilities for platelet transfusion. The district administration should come to the rescue of the poor who are suffering from dengue, he said.

CITU district treasurer A Lokesh urged the district administration and the Palike to take steps to curb the mosquito menace in the slum areas.

DYFI district vice president Ravindra, organising secretary G Darshan, T H Ramu, SFI office-bearers Ramachandra, Sridhar Papanna, Shankrappa, C Ajjappa and Khaleel of Prantha Raitha Sangh led the protest.
DC convenes meet

Deputy Commissioner K P Mohan Raj told the protesters that the district administration and the Palike have taken necessary measures to control the spread of dengue and assured them of convening an official meeting on Friday to discuss about the ways to tide over the crisis.

“District Minister T B Jayachandra will chair the meeting. MLAs and MLCs in the district and the health officials of Palike, CMCs, TMCs and Town Panchayats will attend the meeting,” the deputy commissioner said. Not to ‘mesh’ with mosquitoes

It is an understatement to say that the district is in the grip of dengue. The magnitude of the problem is such that many private hospitals have fixed mosquito mesh and nets to windows and doors. }

We can control the mosquito menace to an extent by fixing nets and mesh. But it is not possible to address the problem completely. The local body and the citizens must ensure that the city is clean and hyegienic, said Dr Basavaraj of Charaka. Palike engineer Vasanth told Deccan Herald, "Three health inspectors, two executive engineers, several valvemen and pourakarmikas are affected with dengue fever. About 25% staff of Palike are down with dengue and other fevers. I have recovered from Dengue fever."