Pune has recorded more than 2,000 dengue cases between January and October, while Congress has warned of a protest outside the Pune Municipal Corporation if urgent measures are not taken to control the outbreak, according to a report by Lokmat – Pune published on October 22.
The report said dengue cases increased during and after the monsoon, with more than 600 cases recorded in September alone. Congress municipal group leader Chandu Kadam attributed the spread to stagnant water, accumulated waste, blocked drains and poor sanitation in several parts of the city.
Kadam alleged that the Pune Municipal Corporation’s fogging and mosquito-control spraying were not being carried out effectively. He also criticised the civic administration for failing to contain the rising incidence of dengue, the report said.
The demands put forward by Congress include a special cleanliness drive in every municipal ward. The proposed drive would focus on removing stagnant water and waste and clearing blocked drains, which the party identified as conditions contributing to mosquito breeding.
Congress has also sought regular fogging and insecticide spraying in every lane and locality, along with the publication of daily reports detailing the work carried out. Such reporting, according to the demands cited in the report, would make ward-level vector-control activity publicly trackable.
The party has further demanded that all municipal hospitals provide dengue NS1 testing, platelet testing and treatment facilities. NS1 testing is used to detect dengue infection during the early phase of the illness, while platelet monitoring is part of the clinical management of patients whose condition requires observation.
Kadam also called for disciplinary action against officials responsible for areas where dengue cases continue to rise, including suspension where necessary. The demand places responsibility for localised disease-control outcomes on municipal officers overseeing affected areas.
The report did not provide a ward-wise breakdown of the cases, details of the municipal corporation’s current fogging schedule, or an official response from the civic administration to the allegations. It also did not specify a date for the proposed protest. Congress said the demonstration would be held outside the municipal corporation building if concrete and effective dengue-control measures were not initiated.
The reported case count and the demands have put attention on the link between monsoon sanitation and municipal disease-control operations. The next stated step is a possible protest at the Pune Municipal Corporation, subject to the administration’s response and the implementation of the measures sought by the party.
