BJP MLA Criticises SMC over disease outbreak in Surat

Surat : In a scathing critique, Kumar Kanani, BJP MLA from Varachha and former Gujarat Health Minister, has penned a letter to Surat Municipal Commissioner Shalini Agarwal, lambasting the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) for its inadequate response to the growing dengue and malaria outbreak in the city. Kanani’s letter underscores the disconnect between official claims of Surat’s cleanliness and the grim reality faced by residents battling deadly diseases.

BJP MLA Kumar Kanani has expressed deep concern over the rising cases of dengue and malaria in Surat, criticizing the Surat Municipal Corporation for its lack of preparedness and ineffective measures in combating these diseases. In his letter to Surat Municipal Commissioner Shalini Agarwal, Kanani highlighted the failure of SMC officials to prevent the outbreak despite the city’s claims of being the number 1 clean city in India.

Kanani’s criticism comes in the wake of the death of a first-year MBBS student at SMIMER Medical College due to dengue. The young woman, a resident of the SMIMER hostel, succumbed to the disease after being admitted to a private hospital. Kanani pointed out that patients suffering from dengue and malaria are not receiving adequate treatment in both government and private hospitals, with hospital beds full and blood shortages in blood banks exacerbating the situation.

“In such dire circumstances, the Surat Municipal Corporation and its health department appear to be lethargic,” Kanani remarked. He criticized the lack of essential measures such as fogging and insecticide spraying in areas like Varachha, emphasizing that the health department’s activities remain largely on paper, with officials spending more time in air-conditioned offices than in the field.

“The current approach of the health department does not reflect the urgency required to control these diseases,” Kanani added, calling for immediate action to prevent further loss of life and mitigate the spread of dengue and malaria in Surat.

Kanani’s letter has sparked debate over the effectiveness of SMC’s health policies and the city’s overall preparedness to handle public health crises. With residents increasingly concerned about the rising cases of mosquito-borne diseases, pressure mounts on Surat Municipal Corporation to reassess its strategies and ensure proactive measures are implemented swiftly.

The Surat Municipal Corporation has yet to respond to Kanani’s allegations, raising questions about accountability and transparency in municipal governance amidst public health emergencies.