The Indian Express                 16.04.2013

Ahead of monsoon, South corpn budgets for 1,350 breeding checkers

Stepping up preparations for the upcoming monsoon season, South Municipal Corporation has decided to create 1,350 temporary posts for domestic breeding checkers (DBC), who will be employed on a contract basis for the next year.

The corporation said the presence of DBCs was important to check the breeding of mosquitoes and spread of diseases like dengue, and haemorrhage fever in the city.

But, despite the need for the domestic breeding checkers every year, the corporation has not made their posts permanent.

DBCs are semi-skilled, non-supervisory, technical staff with matriculate qualifications. They will be paid fixed salary according to the rates set by the corporation's Labour department.

"From time to time, DBCs have been pressing for the regularisation of their posts and have also filed several court cases. But, there is no sanctioned post for them or sufficient budget to regularise their posts and engage them throughout the year," Commissioner of South corporation Manish Gupta said.

"The Commissioner has recommended the creation of temporary posts of the DBCs, at a budget of approximately Rs 11.9 crore and monthly salary of Rs 7,356," a corporation official said.

Highlighting the need for DBCs, Health department officials said that Aedes mosquito, the principal vector for the transmission of dengue in Delhi, dominantly breeds in domestic and peri-domestic areas.

Hence, domestic breeding checkers were required to help to control mosquito breeding in and around residential dwellings.

"Activity of DBCs is not covered under the national vector-borne disease control programme. However, given the potential danger that domestic breeding of the Aedes mosquito presents, checking it is one of the most important preventive measures adopted by the corporation," a South corporation official said.

The decision to continue to employ the DBC last year was taken on the advice of the Health Minister of Delhi and experts from various institutes. North corporation had 1140 DBCs, East had 710 and South had 1,350.