Bengaluru’s anti-dengue drive delivers results; Cases drop by 50 percent: Report
Bengaluru: Preventive measures in Bengaluru seem to be yielding positive results, with the city reporting less than half the dengue cases so far this year compared to the same period in 2024.
According to data from the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) health division, as cited by Deccan Herald on Friday, the city recorded 824 dengue cases between January 1 and June 4, representing 48.1% of the 1,712 cases reported in the same period in 2024. A significant drop is evident, with May 2024 seeing 782 cases alone, while this May saw 299. Additionally, 70 cases have been confirmed in the first four days of June.
The Mahadevapura and East zones have been the hardest hit, registering 301 and 150 cases, respectively. Last year, these two zones together accounted for 861 cases by the end of May. Officials reportedly attribute the high number of cases in these areas to the concentration of ongoing construction activities, where building and roadwork continue throughout the season. Dengue cases in Bengaluru traditionally surge between May and August.
Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao recently highlighted that nearly half of the state's dengue cases are being reported from Bengaluru. In response, 240 health inspectors and 700 volunteers have been deployed to combat the outbreak.
“Mosquito breeding control measures are ongoing, but we must not lower our guard. Households must avoid water stagnation and alert authorities to to any construction sites flouting norms,” DH quoted Suralkar Vikas Kishor, Special Commissioner (Health), BBMP, as saying.
In a bid to enforce compliance, the BBMP has issued 3,583 notices to builders and construction managers, collecting fines totaling Rs 37.9 lakh. In the past week alone, 93 notices were served, generating Rs 1.09 lakh in fines. Mahadevapura Zone was found to have the highest number of violations.
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Kangana Ranaut sparks row: Claims Gandhi made 'Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram' the national anthem
New Delhi: A significant political controversy has erupted following the Modi government's decision to rename the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), a move that has drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties. The row was further fueled by BJP MP Kangana Ranaut, who, while defending the name change, erroneously claimed that Mahatma Gandhi had made the devotional song "Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram" India’s national anthem.
The central government has rebranded the flagship rural employment scheme from MGNREGA to the "Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Employment and Livelihood Mission," abbreviated as VB-G RAM G. The removal of Mahatma Gandhi's name from the scheme has been termed an insult to the Father of the Nation by the Congress and other opposition parties.
When questioned by the media outside Parliament regarding the opposition's allegations, Mandi MP Kangana Ranaut defended the government's decision by invoking Mahatma Gandhi's devotion to Lord Ram.
"How is naming it 'Ram Ji' an insult to Gandhi ji?" Ranaut asked. "Mahatma Gandhi made 'Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram' the national anthem to organize the entire country. Therefore, this is an insult to Mahatma Gandhi? The government is fulfilling his dream by giving it the name of Ram."
Ranaut's claim regarding the national anthem was immediately seized upon by the opposition. Congress leader Supriya Shrinate shared the video of Ranaut’s statement on social media, tweeting sarcastically, "Come on brother, today we learned a new national anthem! The BJP is full of such gems."
Social media users also trolled the MP for the factual error. One user quipped, "Kangana ji forgot to mention that Bapu made this the national anthem after the country got independence in 2014," while another commented that the party finds people who "don't use their brains while forwarding WhatsApp messages."
Beyond the social media mockery, senior Congress leaders criticised the renaming on ideological grounds. Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot took to X (formerly Twitter) to condemn the move.
"The biggest irony is that Mahatma Gandhi was a lifelong devotee of Lord Ram and said 'Hey Ram' in his last moments," Gehlot wrote. "Today, the central government is making a despicable attempt to sideline Gandhi ji under the guise of the same 'Ram' name (VB-G RAM G), which is highly condemnable."
मनरेगा का नाम बदलने की केंद्र सरकार की कवायद महात्मा गांधी के प्रति उनकी ओछी मानसिकता और असम्मान का प्रमाण है। सरकार पहले 'पूज्य बापू' के नाम का शिगूफा छोड़ती है और फजीहत होने पर अब 'विकसित भारत-गारंटी फॉर रोजगार एंड आजीविका मिशन (VB-G RAM G)' जैसा नाम थोपना चाहती है। बार-बार नाम…
— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) December 15, 2025
गांधी जी ने ‘रघुपति राघव राजा राम’ को लेकर नेशनल एंथम बनाया था
— Supriya Shrinate (@SupriyaShrinate) December 16, 2025
BJP MP कंगना रनौत
चलो भाई आज नया नेशनल एंथम भी पता चला है!
BJP में एक से एक शिरोमणि भरे पड़े हैं 😂🤣 pic.twitter.com/9DvyV5xLb1
