Playback singer Shankar Mahadevan to join govt’s anti-dengue campaign as it enters its 8th week

The Delhi government’s anti-dengue campaign will see celebrities — such as noted playback singer Shankar Mahadevan — lending their support as it enters into its eight week, the chief minister’s office said on Saturday.

The initiative, known as the ‘10 Hafte 10 Baje 10 Minute Anti-Dengue campaign’ was launched on September 6 with chief minister Arvind Kejriwal inspecting his residence for stagnant water to prevent the breeding of mosquitoes. This was followed by all MLAs in the first week and then doctors and healthcare workers in the subsequent weeks doing the same to carry the campaign forward.

“Celebrities will be roped in, who through their social media messages will be encouraging the citizens of Delhi to follow the dengue prevention guidelines,” the government said in a statement.

Last week, shopkeepers were urged to inspect their shops and surroundings for stagnant water every Sunday for 10 minutes, and drain it to prevent the breeding of dengue mosquitoes. “Inspecting the surrounding market areas and their shops will keep shopkeepers as well as their customers safe from dengue,” the government had then said.

Last year, the RWAs played a huge role in the campaign and the Delhi chief minister had addressed all the RWAs at Talkatora Stadium where he launched the 5-point action plan for the RWAs to combat dengue. In 2019,the first year the campaign was launched in the city, Delhi had witnessed only 2,036 cases of the disease with two deaths. Delhi’s worst year was in 2015 when the city witnessed 15,867 cases of the disease with 60 deaths.

A special helpline — 011-22300012 — has also been launched by the Delhi government for the general public if they require assistance in combating the disease. Residents can also WhatsApp on 8595920530.

Taking to social media in the third week of the anti-Dengue campaign, CM Kejriwal had tweeted, “Delhi will defeat dengue again, and for this, today, on the third Sunday of the campaign at 10 AM, I checked my house and replaced the stagnant water. You must also check your house every Sunday and ask your 10 friends/relatives to do the same. #10Hafte10Baje10Minute Har Ravivar Dengue Par Vaar.”