New Delhi, Sep 6 (IANS): Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday launched the '10 Hafte 10 Baje 10 Minute campaign' - a mass awareness campaign against vector-borne disease dengue.

The Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) national convenor began the initiative by inspecting his house for any signs of stagnant clean water and draining it, which can lead to the breeding of mosquitoes and other vector-borne diseases such as dengue, malaria, and chikungunya. The 10-week campaign will continue every Sunday.

Kejriwal said two crore people of Delhi will join hands and work together to fight against dengue like last time.

"The rainy season is here again, and it is the first week of September. We all know that at this point, the breeding of mosquitoes that spread dengue is at a peak. We have to save ourselves and our family from dengue," Kejriwal said.

Last year, the Chief Minister said, "we participated in a massive campaign against dengue, ‘10 Hafte 10 Baje 10 Minute - Har Ravivar Dengue Par Vaar' (10 week, 10 a.m. and for 10 minutes, an attack on dengue every Sunday) we will do that again this year". Citing previous year's 1,400-1,500 dengue cases in Delhi, Kejriwal said this was a big achievement for the government because this number was around 14,000-15,000 a few years back. "Like last year, today is the first Sunday, and for the next 10 Sundays, please spend 10 minutes inspecting your homes for stagnant clean water at 10 a.m."

Kejriwal requested people to drain the standing water and replace it, saying "I hope and believe that the people of Delhi will again participate and save Delhi from dengue just like they did the last time". Along with saving our families from dengue, Kejriwal said we have to save Delhi from dengue.

The Delhi government had launched the campaign in September 2019 as 15,867 dengue cases as well as 60 deaths were reported in Delhi in 2015. The campaign also garnered the support of many celebrities as well as officials of the government and other autonomous bodies. Under the campaign, the citizens must inspect their homes for any possible sources of stagnant clean water, which can lead to the breeding of Aedes mosquitoes that spread vector-borne diseases like dengue, malaria, and chikungunya.

Kejriwal also appealed to the ministers, MLAs, and the citizens to begin the mega-campaign from their own homes and spend 10 minutes every Sunday to make sure there is no stagnant water in their homes and surroundings. Along with Kejriwal, all the ministers, MLAs, and officials of the Delhi government also participated in the anti-dengue campaign, by inspecting their houses for signs of accumulated stagnant clean water.

The campaign also seeks to engage the residents to pick up the phone and call 10 of their friends and relatives and advise them on the good practices of preventing dengue. The RWAs will be asked to come together and help in the fight against dengue and promote the campaign. At various stages, children will be encouraged to take part in the campaign by assigning them with homework on behalf of the schools and asking them to call their friends to encourage them to take part in the campaign as well.