Delhi govt begins fumigation work from today to stop chikungunya

New Delhi: In the wake of a spurt in cases of dengue and chikungunya, the Public Works Department (PWD) of the Delhi government has hired a private agency to fumigate areas across the national capital. Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had on Tuesday announced a month-long intensive fogging drive, which begins on Thursday, across the city to make it free of mosquitoes. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, soon after returning from Bengaluru, had spelt out a roadmap in this regard by calling for a "war" to exterminate mosquitoes and had ordered the procurement of fogging machines. "PWD will outsource the work of fogging across the capital," a government official said. Accordingly, the drive will begin with 200 fogging machines and by September 26, 600 machines will be deployed, Sisodia had said at a press conference here. "Although fogging is the job of the municipal bodies but we will supplement their efforts since it is a period of crisis. We have prepared a comprehensive plan according to which fogging will be undertaken in each and every lane of Delhi every alternate day," he had said. At least 34 people have died due to chikungunya and dengue which have affected close to 4,000 people in the city.