Kejriwal Campaign Overlooks Chhatarpur Dengue ‘Hotspot'

6,000 Sq Yard Swamp, Right Next to a School, is a Serious Health Hazard for Kids

- Chayyanika Nigam

CHIEF Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s much-publicised ‘10 Hafte, 10 Baje, 10 Minute’ campaign to combat dengue might have garnered support from public figures and Bollywood celebrities, but it clearly missed a 6,000 square yard swamp in the National Capital’s Chhatarpur area that poses a serious health hazard to not just locals but students studying in a school just next to it.

For over 15 years now, this plot on Jonapur, Mangat Ram Marg, has been a dumping spot for sewage water and garbage, making it an extremely fertile breeding ground for mosquitoes that spread diseases like dengue and chikungunya – Delhi’s biggest fear of the season. Despite many letters and appeals to the municipal and local government authorities, nothing has been done to clear up this piece of land.

The plot, with a broken boundary wall, gets filled with water even after a short spell of rain. This year has been no exception.