The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has requested Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration and other departments to close all swimming pools in the city and has constituted 30 teams, each consisting of three persons and equipped with pumps, to spray all potential breeding places of dengue mosquitoes across the city capital to minimise the threats of dengue fever. Most of the swimming pools in the city are under the jurisdiction of the ICT administration, so the CDA has asked them to order their closure. “The CDA has also asked all other departments in the city to do so,” said Public Relations Deputy Director Ramzan Sajjad.
CDA Chairman Imtiaz Inayat Elahi has directed all relevant wings of the authority to make coordinated efforts to reinforce anti-dengue fever campaign for the protection of the residents from this menace. The authority, on the direction of the CDA chairman, has already closed all fountains for one month and drained out the water accumulated there. The CDA has also advised the ICT administration to close all swimming pools within the ICT areas to eradicate dengue mosquitoes. Environment Member Main Waheed-ud Din held a meeting at Fatima Jinnah (F-9) Park, which was attended by all relevant wings of the authority.
Speaking on the occasion, the environment member said the CDA chairman had directed all the staff concerned to make all-out efforts for containing mosquito growth and controlling the threats of dengue fever. He said special focus was being given on fumigation of nullahs, katchi abadis, greenbelts, garbage sites, parks, ponds, fountains and the zoo area. A system had also been evolved to address individual complaints, he said and added special awareness drive was being launched under which banners would be displayed across the federal capital. Moreover, informative pamphlets and leaflets regarding preventive measures would also be distributed, he further said.
The CDA chairman has made the health services director as the anti-dengue drive head while the deputy director general environment has been designated as focal person to carry out spray at vulnerable points across the city. Under the fumigation and awareness drive, the CDA has divided Islamabad into three regions to ensure comprehensive coverage. The region-1 covers slums of the entire city and nullahs; the region-11 covers green areas of the city and attached nullahs; the region-111 covers government accommodations, mosques, imambargas and churches, besides other residential areas.
