Kolkata: The Health department of KMC is more aggressive this year for prevention of mosquito breeding to curb dengue in domestic and other places. It has filed 35 cases in the Municipal Magistrate’s Court in 5 months (January to May). Dragging a person to the Municipal Court ensures penalty that ranges from Rs 1000 to 1 lakh. In 2022, the civic body had filed 26 cases during the whole year against erring people in violation of the KMC’s anti-mosquito guidelines.
The vector control team of KMC has also pulled up its socks to curb the tendency among a section of promoters for being callous about mosquito breeding at the site of under construction buildings.
“If mosquito breeding is detected at the site of any under-construction building, the concerned promoter will be given a notice by the our Health Department u/S 496A. If the notice fails to yield results, the Building department of KMC will serve a stop-work notice upon the concerned promoter upon the recommendation of the Health wing,” a senior official of KMC’s Health department said. The filing of higher number of cases is a clear indication of the KMC’s aggressive stand . “We want to deliver a message to a section of people who have been attracting mosquito breeding grounds simply because of their nonchalant attitude to be on alert and stay alert and keep their premises and vacant lands mosquito-free,” the official added. Debashis Biswas, Chief Vector Control Officer of KMC said that if a person is found responsible for creating a favourable condition for mosquito breeding in and around his house, the vector control personnel of KMC will first advise him to take corrective measures. If he ignores their advice, a notice u/S 496A of the KMC Act, 1980, will be issued to him. If he still remains unfazed, a case will be filed in the Learned Municipal Magistrate’s Court. The court after hearing from both the sides will impose a penalty that ranges from Rs 1000 to 1 lakh.
“Our message is crystal clear stay alert and active and do not let dengue grab your locality,” Biswas said. The KMC has been creating massive awareness on water containers/ sites that needs to be checked for mosquito larvae. Masonry tanks, rooftops, seepage water beneath overhead water tanks, underground water reservoir, basement water tanks, earthen containers such as pitcher, vats, barrels, flower pots, etc, drums (Iron, syntax, plastic, etc),discarded glass, plastic, tin and iron containers, coconut shells, artificial fountains. Cisterns, uncovered septic tanks, open drains, unused bathtubs, wells feature in the list.
Tyres, empty battery shells, accumulated rainwater in scraps lying stacked in the open space, discarded plastic cups, tea-pots have also been found to emerge as breeding grounds for mosquitoes.