Delhi is facing its worst outbreak of mosquito-borne diseases in five years, with cases of dengue, malaria, and chikungunya spiraling under the watch of the BJP’s so-called “four-engine government.” Citing Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD)’s own data, AAP’s Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the civic body, Ankush Narang, said Delhi reported 38 new malaria cases last week, taking the total to 371, while dengue cases surged to 759 with 74 fresh infections.
The MCD LoP warned that the situation will worsen further as Domestic Breeding Checkers (DBC) and Civic Field Workers (CFW) workers are driven to strike, pointing to Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh’s arrogance for refusing to meet their demands, leaving both Delhiites and employees to suffer.
AAP’s MCD LoP Ankush Narang on Tuesday came down heavily on the BJP-led “four-engine government,” holding it responsible for the alarming surge in cases of malaria, dengue, and chikungunya across Delhi. He said that the BJP government’s complete failure has forced MCD’s DBC and CFW employees to go on strike, while the obstinacy of Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh is making Delhiites pay the price.
Citing official data, Ankush Narang said Delhi reported 38 new malaria cases last week alone—the highest in the past five years—taking the total count to 371 so far. Similarly, dengue cases climbed by 74 last week, bringing the total to 759, while chikungunya has hit a five-year high with 61 reported cases.
Recalling his warnings in the MCD House, the MCD LoP said he had flagged on September 29 that DBC and CFW employees were set to go on strike. “These employees carry out critical tasks like fogging, inspecting rooftop tanks, preventing water accumulation, and monitoring mosquito larvae. I wrote to the Mayor and the Municipal Commissioner urging them to hold talks with the employees, but no attention was paid. It is shameful that due to the Mayor’s arrogance and obstinacy, the people of Delhi are now left vulnerable to these deadly diseases,” he said.
Drawing a contrast with the AAP government’s approach, Ankush Narang reminded that under Arvind Kejriwal’s leadership, the highly successful campaign ‘10 weeks, 10 Sundays, 10 minutes’ was launched to raise awareness about preventing water stagnation in homes. “The present BJP government has no campaign, no strategy, and no adequate treatment facilities in government or MCD hospitals,” he charged.
Ankush Narang warned that the people of Delhi, who gave the BJP all 7 Lok Sabha seats and 48 out of 70 Assembly seats, will not forgive the arrogance of the BJP government and its Mayor.
He further reminded that he had already cautioned in the MCD House that 5,200 DBC and CFW employees were set to go on strike from September 29, which would only accelerate the spread of malaria, dengue, and chikungunya in the city. “This strike leaves not just Delhi’s residents but also your families, my family, and people across every ward exposed to the risk,” he said.
Explaining his repeated efforts, Ankush Narang said: “I raised this issue forcefully in the MCD House and appealed to Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh and the Municipal Commissioner to hold talks with the employees. Later, I even sent a written letter. Yet, the Mayor could not spare even ten minutes to sit with 5,200 employees and resolve their grievances. What need does Delhi have for such a ‘blind, mute, and arrogant’ Mayor who drives employees onto the streets in protest and abandons citizens to the dangers of malaria, dengue, and chikungunya?”
The MCD’s data on mosquito-borne diseases reported last week from its zones and other agencies stands as follows:
Cases of Malaria and Dengue (last week):
Central – Malaria: 7, Dengue: 7
City SP – Malaria: 3, Dengue: 3
Civil Lines – Malaria: 3, Dengue: 4
Karol Bagh – Malaria: 3, Dengue: 6
Keshav Puram – Malaria: 1, Dengue: 3
Najafgarh – Malaria: 3, Dengue: 8
Narela – Malaria: 0, Dengue: 3
Rohini – Malaria: 0, Dengue: 5
Shahdara (North) – Malaria: 5, Dengue: 5
Shahdara (South) – Malaria: 5, Dengue: 3
South – Malaria: 3, Dengue: 6
West – Malaria: 3, Dengue: 6
Total (MCD Zones) – Malaria: 38, Dengue: 59
NDMC – Malaria: 0, Dengue: 3
Delhi Cantt – Malaria: 0, Dengue: 10
Railways – Malaria: 0, Dengue: 2
