Wife ill, vice-chairman slams civic body

Suman Chakraborti TNN 

Kolkata: The Bidhannagar Municipality, which has drawn severe flak from Salt Lake residents for not taking adequate steps to control the dengue outbreak, was slammed by none other than its own vice-chairman Sabyasachi Datta on Wednesday. Datta’s wife Indrani Datta, a former councillor, has been suffering from dengue for the last 10 days. 

Datta, who stays in DL Block and is also the Rajarhat MLA, said the civic authorities were not taking proper measures to control the outbreak, which has reached almost epidemic proportions in Salt Lake. “More than thousands have been affected by dengue here. My wife is down with it, too. I officially informed the SDO about it, but nobody from the municipality bothered to turn up to see my wife. The health inspector only said that he was sorry to learn this,” Datta said. 

Datta also came down heavily on municipality chairperson Krisna Chakraborty. “As a resident of Salt Lake, I can say that yes, dengue cases are being reported from here. As the local councillor, I can say that my ward is very much affected and as the vice-chairman of the municipality, I do not know how to prevent the outbreak. Till today, the chairperson could not provide the exact figure of dengue cases in Salt Lake,” Datta fumed. Datta, who is the councillor of blocks BF, CF, CE, DE and DF, said all these areas are much affected. 

Chakraborty, however, said the civic body was taking all necessary steps to control the outbreak. “We are doing everything possible. We are working to create more awareness, too, so that we can prevent the spreading of the disease. I don’t know what Datta has said, but I don’t believe in politics over this issue. I have heard that his wife has had a dengue attack and I had called her up, too,” said the civic chief. 

Officials said a team of 50 civic workers was making rounds of the township, visiting 40 houses daily to spread awareness and distributing leaflets in the localities. They are also checking the houses and localities for stagnant water. The civic authorities are thinking of imposing spot fines on residents for not taking steps to keep their houses free of accumulated water.

Bidhannagar Municipality vice-chairman Sabyasachi Datta’s wife Indrani, a former councillor, is suffering from dengue

Ex-minister’s kin molested in Salt Lake

Miscreant Snatched Victim’s Mobile Phone, Nabbed By Green Police Volunteer

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 

Kolkata: Snatchers seem to be having a free run in Salt Lake. This time, however, the criminal molested the woman, daughter-in-law of a former minister, and was nabbed within moments. The accused, identified as Abdul Malek, snatched the victim’s phone on Saturday night. But when the gutsy woman caught hold of his hand and protested, Malek reportedly molested her. 
    A green police volunteer posted in the area tracked him down and the Bidhannagar South police arrested him. Malek was produced at Bidhannagar additional judicial magistrate court and remanded in judicial custody till September 7. 
    The incident occurred at GD Block of Salt Lake which is usually secluded in the evening. “I was returning home at around 8pm on Saturday when I saw a person on a bicycle coming from the opposite direction. Suddenly, he snatched the mobile phone from my hand,” the woman, a resident of HB Block, said. 
    The victim, however, was alert and managed to catch hold of Malek. It was then that he molested her. “When I shouted out in protest, the man touched my body. I let out a cry. The man then tried to run away with his bicycle,” she said. 
    One of the green police volunteers, on duty in the area, heard the woman’s scream and rushed to her aid. He saw the criminal trying to flee on his bicycle and gave him a chase. Within moments, he caught hold of Malek who was then contemplating which way to flee. Malek was handed over to Bidhannagar South police. The victim later lodged an FIR at the police station. 
    Preliminary probe revealed that Malek is a vegetable vendor and resident of Bhangor area in South 24-Parganas. Police are trying to find out why he had come as far as Salt Lake from Bhangor and whether he was a part of a bigger snatching gang. 
    Of late, Salt Lake has witnessed a spree of snatchings. Since last Monday, four cases of snatching were reported. Police are keeping a strong vigil at all the entry and exit points of the township. About 150 green police volunteers have also been posted in township. 
    The Bidhannagar police had earlier prepared a list of do’s and don’t’s for the residents of Salt Lake and Lake Town and held meetings with various block committees. But residents of the township are still living in fear.

Dengue makes deadly comeback

Salt Lake Worst Hit But Civic Body Yet To Take Action, Docs Blame Uncertain Monsoon For Outbreak

Sumati Yengkhom TNN 

Kolkata: Dengue is swarming the city this season. Doctors agree that it may be the worst outbreak since 2005. 
    The actual intensity is still being assessed, but the indications are grim. Hospitals on the fringes have admitted scores of dengue patients in the last four weeks but the actual number of victims is many times more because only about 20% cases need hospitalization. 
    Salt Lake has taken the worst hit, so far. If the number of patients being treated at hospitals in the township and along EM Bypass is any indication, it 
is high time for the civic body to press the panic button. 
    “Forty-six patients have tested positive for dengue in the laboratory attached to our hospital alone in the past four weeks,” said a source at aSalt Lake hospital. Dr Soumitra Dutta, principal consultant (paediatrician) at Columbia Asia Hospitals, said at least 15 children affected with dengue were admitted to the hospital in last week alone. 
    The sporadic rain pattern this monsoon, accompanied by high humidity, has triggered the comeback of dengue, say dengue. 
    The advice from doctors is that if you have high fever with severe headache and body pain, don’t ignore it as just another viral fever. It could well be dengue and you should go for a blood test. 
    Take the case of Ranjeeta Chakrabory. The young home maker from BS block had high fever and body pain for a few days and it was a while before she went to a doctor. A blood test confirmed dengue and she was immediately hospitalized. After five days of treatment, she was discharged on Monday. 
    “Apart from her, I know of at least five persons in mySalt Lake neighbourhood who have tested positive for dengue in the past few weeks. The muncipality seems to be sleeping over this menace. We have barely come across any mosquito- controlling measures. I have not seen any fogging in the locality in the last two years,” said Ranjeeta’s husband Shantanu Chakraborty. 
    Accumulation of stagnant water, high humidity, uncleared bushes, piling up of garbage and absence of mosquito management exercises have aggravated the situation, said sources. 
    “I come across at least one dengue patient every day, having treated about 10 patients per day in the past 10 days in the hospital. If anyone is suffering from fever as high as 103/104 degrees Fahrenheit, along with headache, body pain, dehydration and nausea, it’s best to consult a doctor right away,” said consultant physician (internal medicine) Dr Subhasis Ganguly. 
    Fever triggered by the dengue virus does not respond to the normal dosage of paracetamol, say doctors. If left untreated, the viral attack could lead to secondary infections affecting organs like the liver, kidney and the heart. 
    “After the dengue outbreak in 2005, there have been sporadic cases every year. But this year it seems to be higher, particularly in Salt Lake and its vicinity, where I have treated about 15 patients in last three weeks. But the severity of the attack is less than the one in 2005,” said paediatrician Dr Subrata Chakraborty. 
    “But there is no reason to panic. We have treated about 29 dengue patients in our hospital so far this year. The positive note is that diagnosis through the blood test can be done in two hours and hence the treatment can be started early,” said Dr Rupali Basu, CEO, Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals. 
    Dr Basabbijay Sarkar, consultant physician of Fortis Hospital, has seen about 14 patients in his Salt Lake clinic in the past month apart from treating an equal number of patients in the hospital. “If we count Day 1 as the onset of dengue, all complications will appear in the next seven to eight days. There is a tendency for the blood platelet to go down in the patient. Timely treatment is very important,” said Dr Sarkar. 
    Even as health officials tried to project the situation as not alarming, doctors practising in and around the township and hospitals are flooded with dengue patients. Sampurnaa Saha (11), a Class-V student from GC block in Salt Lake, was admitted to Columbia Asia on Wednesday night. “Since there weren’t enough beds, my daughter was in the emergency ward all of Wednesday night. She got a bed only on Thursday,” said the girl’s father Sujay Saha. 
    “Out of 10 children affected with dengue, only about two need hospitalization, the rest are advised treatment at home. I practise mainly inSalt Lake and my chamber is flooded with dengue suspects, mostly children. I have admitted at least 15 children in the past one week. Therefore, one can well imagine the magnitude of the dengue menace,” said Dr Dutta of Columbia Asia. 
    Health department spokesperson Dr Asit Biswas said that the they are monitoring the situation closely. “Cases of dengue are being reported from different localities, including Salt Lake. We will soon meet the hospitals and representatives of Bidhanagar municipality,” said Biswas.