BJP leaders protest against West Bengal govt over spike in Dengue cases
Nov 22, 2022
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], November 22 : West Bengal Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari slammed the Mamata Banerjee-led government over a spike in Dengue cases on Tuesday and said that Health Minister doesn't come to the House (Assembly).
Amid rising cases of Dengue in West Bengal, BJP leaders protested against the state government today by taking out a march. The BJP leaders were wrapped in a mosquito net and carried mosquito models with them as a mark of protest.
While talking to the media persons in Kolkata, Suvendu Adhikari said, "Health Minister doesn't come to the House (Assembly). No discussion takes place over Health and Home Departments, they don't take questions."
Earlier on November 7, Former Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader and Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Adhikari had written a letter to the Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya over the surge of dengue cases in the state and urged the Centre to send a 'Team of Doctors to guide the State Govt and provide relief to the people. "I am writing you this letter as the State of West Bengal is in the midst of a Health Emergency," the letter said.
Taking to Twitter Suvendu Adhikari had said, "Dengue situation in West Bengal has spiralled out of control due to the inefficient West Bengal government. I have written a letter to Hon'ble Union Health Minister; Mansukh Mandaviya to send a Central Team of Doctors & Public Health Experts to guide the State Govt & provide relief to the people."
Pointing to the alarming situation of dengue in the state, Suvendu Adhikari in his letter wrote, "At a time when you are choking in the national capital, the people of West Bengal are tormented by mosquitos. Dengue has taken West Bengal in its grip for the past three months, with the cases on the rise in several parts of the state. The worst affected areas are Kolkata, North 24 Parganas, Murshidabad, Hooghly & Howrah."
Amid the worsening of the situation, West Bengal on October 28 reported garbage littered on roads in Kolkata, which raised concern as the city was already grappling with the outbreak of dengue.
The garbage was found littered open on New Town and Salt Lake streets.
As a result, the citizens are keeping the doors and windows of their houses closed in disgust over the rotten stench of garbage and in fear of dengue-causing mosquitoes entering their houses.
According to locals, despite repeated pleas by the government and doctors to keep the neighbourhood clean to fight dengue, these places are littered with garbage.
Notably, Suvendu Adhikari in his letter drew Union Minister Mandviya's attention to the dengue cases, recorded the highest this year in the 43rd week since 2017.
Hitting out at the Mamta Banerjee-ruled West Bengal government for running out of funds to control the ungovernable dengue situation in the state, BJP MLA had said, "This year the Dengue situation has gone out of control in West Bengal, as because the financially bankrupt State Government could not provide funds in time for the precautionary measures. Let me reiterate it; the West Bengal Health Department did not have adequate funds, which led to the rise in cases as the measures which were needed to be taken, months earlier, to control the breeding of 'Aedes Aegypti' mosquitoes were not carried out properly due to the lack of funds."
