Former Union Minister and senior Congress leader Subodhkant Sahai has demanded declaration of a medical emergency in Ranchi following the rapid rise in the cases of dengue and chikangunya. 

Addressing a press conference at Ranchi on August 6 he said situation of dengue and chikangunya was horrific in the state capital that the government and the administration have been sleeping over the issue due to which these diseases have turned into an epidemic in the capital. He demanded that the health department should bring doctors from outside to tackle the situation as it was not possible for the doctors in Ranchi to control the situation.

He suggested that the district administration and the health department should also organize medical camps in dengue and chikangunya hit areas, take cleaning of drains, conduct fogging, spray beaching powder and also organized awareness camps in the schools so that steps can be taken to tackle the spread of the disease.

Mr Sahai said that he had personally visited the areas where large number of cases of dengue and chikangunya have been detected in the capital which included ward number 21, 22 and 23 and particularly the situation in ward number 23 was the worst. He also urged all the ward councilors of the Ranchi Municipal Corporation to run awareness campaigns in their respective areas.

Attacking the Ranchi Municipal Corporation for its inefficiency he said that thanks to the working culture of the RMC Ranchi itself was turning into a slum city and those who are claiming to make it a smart city should first ensure that the drains are clean, garbage is not dumped on the roadside and pure drinking water is supplied to the people.