The Times of India 12.09.2014
PMC sends notices to 1,300 over mosquito-breeding sites
PUNE:
Civic health officials have issued show-cause notices to as many as
1,300 people, including builders, scrap dealers and housing societies,
for failing to clear mosquito-breeding spots on their premises.
“Most of those who have been issued notices are owners of construction
sites and scrap dealers. We have also issued notices to housing
societies. We will file criminal cases if the erring individuals and
institutions fail to initiate measures to eradicate the breeding sites
on their premises,” said S T Pardeshi, medical officer of health, Pune
Municipal Corporation.
The civic body’s recently-drafted
‘Malaria, dengue, chikungunya and other insect- and mosquito-borne
diseases bylaws, 2013’ states that it is the responsibility of the
individual or institution using a property to keep it free of mosquito
breeding sites.”
We will implement the bylaws in letter and
spirit once the state government approves them,” said Sanjeev Wavare,
assistant medical officer of health (AMoH), Pune Municipal Corporation.
According to a senior civic official, the bylaws state that an
individual or institution should employ remedial measures if they see
stagnant water on their premises which has mosquitoes breeding in it or
is a potential breeding ground.
“Our health staff have started
undertaking inspections at sites falling in the jurisdiction of the
civic body. If they think that a particular area has stagnant water with
mosquito larvae or is a potential site for mosquito breeding, they
issue a 24-hour notice to the user of the premises,” the official said.
The bylaws forbid individuals occupying private or government
properties under the jurisdiction of the PMC from keeping objects such
as buckets, cans, tyres in such a way that they may become breeding
sites for mosquitoes.
“Those breaking these rules repeatedly
will be fined Rs 1,000 every day. If they still continue to break these
rules, they will be served a notice regarding filing of a criminal case
against them,” the official added.
The draft bylaws say that
diseases such as malaria, dengue and chikungunya are primarily caused by
mosquitoes. The most common spots for breeding of mosquito larvae are
water tanks at construction sites, puddles, uncovered septic tanks,
pipes without a mesh covering, uncovered wells, uncovered tanks on
terraces, unused wells, non-functional fountains, swamps, lakes,
gutters, swimming pools and unused water stocked for domestic purposes.
