Tejashwi Yadav, the deputy chief minister of Bihar, flagged off around 100 vehicle-mounted fogging machines and 375 motorcycle-borne teams armed with larvicides for a stepped-up anti-dengue campaign on Sunday.
The number of cases in Patna alone has surpassed 3,000, with an estimated 4000 people in Bihar infected.
Yadav, who launched the campaign from Gandhi Maidan, stated that all concerned departments are working on a war footing to contain the disease.
“Fogging and anti-larvae drive will be conducted regularly and efficiently. Hospitals are also geared up to deal with the cases related to dengue,” Yadav, who is also the minister for health, and urban and housing department, said.
Animesh Parashar, commissioner of the Patna Municipal Corporation, stated that macro-level planning has been completed to ensure ward-wise fogging of malathion mixed with diesel and spraying of larvicide in stagnant water to control the spread of mosquitoes.
“Each ward has been divided into five sectors so that the fogging cycle can be completed in two days. As many as 19 quick response teams are already active to take care of hotspots,” the commissioner said.
Suspecting that the increase in mosquito population is due to delayed rains, Parashar stated that sufficient quantities of chemicals such as lime power and bleaching power have been made available at all six circles within the corporation.
“Authorised suppliers of chemicals of malathion and larvicide have opened their kiosks at the PMC office to ensure timely and adequate availability in a transparent way,” he added.