Delhi government to make city mosquito-free, says Sisodia

New Delhi, May 13 (IANS) To prevent recurrence of vector-borne diseases like dengue and chikungunya, the Delhi government will prepare a comprehensive plan to keep the city "mosquito-free", Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said on Saturday.

Briefing the media on the preparedness for dengue and chikungunya-like diseases, Sisodia said Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had held a meeting with all stakeholders, including commissioners of civic bodies, and a comprehensive plan would be made to make Delhi mosquito-free.

"Chief Minister has directed that a comprehensive proposal be made, for which the officials concerned of the central government, Delhi government, civic bodies and NCR will pitch in. We have to find a way to make Delhi mosquito-free," he said.

Sisodia said that the government had taken preventive steps early this year, so that measures were put in place before the onset of monsoon.

The government has instructed hospitals to use 10 to 20 per cent of the beds for treatment of fever and to be ready for extra fever clinics, according to Sisodia.

"Facility to know the availability of beds online is being ensured and a control room is being set up to help patients," said Sisodia, adding that rates of medicines or tests would be fixed in private hospitals, so that the dengue and chikungunya patients were not charged extra.

According to official data, 4,431 cases of dengue were reported in 2016 and the number of chikungunya cases stood at 9,749. The figures are among the worst in India till now.