Chief Minister Harish Rawat literally took matters in his own hands clearing parts of choked roadside drains while stressing on awareness about dengue and sanitation while heading a sanitation drive in Valmiki Basti along Kanwali Road on Monday. The CM arrived in the slum at 8 am and spent considerable time there.
Rawat made it a point to plunge himself in the sanitation campaign organised by the state police. He also fagged off a Dengue awareness rally on the occasion.
He talked with the slum dwellers and emphasized on the importance of sanitation in and around their households in order to remain free from many disease.
Rawat took a small spade and opened many chocked drains and poured kerosene on the ditches and drains. He visited many dwellings and inspected the water tanks and said that drains become breeding ground of mosquitoes due to negligence.
The CM was in an advisory mode as he appealed the parents to ensure that their wards are visiting the schools wearing full sleeved clothes in order to reduce mosquito bite. later interacting with the media persons present on the occasion, Rawat said that such sanitation programmes would be held every week.
“I hope that people would take inspiration from my involvement in the sanitation campaign and undertake similar drives in their localities. The menace of dengue could be tackled by involvement of all. We should avoid putting blame on others and get ourselves involved in anti dengue measures,’’ he said.
The people of the area were surprised by the direct involvement of CM in sanitation drive and many came forward to help the volunteers and sanitation workers. It is worth mentioning here that CM Rawat is keeping a close look on the situation of Dengue in the state capital. On his initiative the government has provided budget to purchase fogging machines and other equipment.