Darjeeling MP files police complaint over Siliguri dengue situation against the SMC Darjeeling district administration and Darjeeling district health officials

Twinkle Verma, a 14-year old child, in Ward No 5 in Siliguri, who lost her life to dengue some days ago

SNS, SILIGURI, 25 SEPTEMBER 2022: Darjeelings BJP MP Raju Bista today filed a complaint at the Siliguri Police Station against the Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC), Darjeeling district administration and Darjeeling district health officials for what he said was "criminal dereliction of duty, leading to deaths of many lives like that of Twinkle.'

Mr Bista filed the complaint after visiting the house of Twinkle Verma, a 14-year old child, in Ward No 5 in Siliguri, who lost her life to dengue some days ago.

The girl's family also filed a police complaint against the private nursing home where the girl died.

According to the MP the girl died due to gross incompetence of the medical system.

"The family members informed me that she was admitted due to dengue in a nursing home situated in Khalpara, where she was given treatment for dengue, but following her death, the state machinery labelled the cause of her death as 'high fever.'  Even during COVID they did the same, tried to hide the actual reason behind the death," Mr Bista said.

"In the past two months, cases of viral fever, dengue, and other vector borne and viral diseases have wreaked havoc in Siliguri, surrounding areas, Kalimpong, Dooars and rest of North Bengal, but the WB Govt, Darjeeling District Administration, District I leak h Officials, and SiliguriMunicipal Corporation have turned a complete blind eye to the emerging health crisis in our region," he added.

"In Siliguri, dengue cases have exploded in wards 2, 4, 11, 14, 15,20,25,33, 39, 42 and 45, and all 47 wards have been declared vulnerable. But, other than that, not much has been done," he further said.

According to him, in August 2022, researchers from the North Bengal University had discovered that the Asian Tiger Mosquito in Darjeeling district had undergone mutation and acquired resistance to popular household insecticides. "They also shared their concerns and warning publicly that this will lead to further outbreak of viral diseases including dengue, chikangunia, zika. Despite numerous warnings shared by experts, the Siliguri Municipal Corporation, Darjeeling District Administration, and District Health Officials failed to take necessary precautions to prevent the spread of these diseases," Mr Bista said.

He alleged that the authorities had failed to trace mosquito breeding hotspots and that care was also not provided in hospitals. 'The level of apathy shown by the state administration is nothing less than criminal dereliction of duty. They. have zero value for the lives of the people from North Bengal," he said.

Asked about Mr Bista's moves, TMC leader and Deputy Mayor of Siliguri Ranjan Sarkar said it was very unbecoming of a parliament avian to do politics at someone's death. "What has he, as an MP for the past three years, done? Anyone with good sense will not work like the way he is working. I urge him not to disturb the administration's work in combating the dengue situation," Mr Sarkar said.