The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) will impose Rs 50,000 fines if housing societies or establishments deny access to civic officials to check hotspots for dengue and malaria. The civic body will also initiate legal action against such establishments.
In the last fortnight, the area under the NMMC saw a sharp rise in suspected cases of dengue and malaria. In just a week, more than 50 suspected cases of dengue were found under the NMMC area. According to civic officials, the total number of suspected dengue cases found around 288 across the city. Of the 288 suspected dengue cases, eight cases were positive of dengue.
Civic chief Abhijit Bangar held a review meeting on the rising number of suspected dengue and malaria case in the MMR area including Navi Mumbai. He directed to pay strict attention to the effective implementation of preventive measures in the premises of every suspected dengue patient.
After many civic health workers raised concern over non-cooperation from citizens on access to premises in conducting mosquito breeding spots, civic chief Bangar suggested consider legal action should be taken if admission is still denied. He also asked to collect a fine of up to Rs 50,000 from such housing societies which denied entry to the hotspot area for dengue and malaria for investigation and preventive action.
During the meeting, civic chief Bangar asked officials of the Health Department to pay close attention to the search and fumigation work being done by the contractor's staff and submit a daily report. He also warned of strict action against the contractor if they lack fumigation and spraying works. The civic body will also blacklist the contractor.
During the peak of monsoon—July and August—the civic health department visited a total of 4,12,907 households to check domestic mosquito breeding spots. “We found a total of 1644 spots of mosquito breeding spots of which 695 spots were completely destroyed and preventive measures have been taken at 949 places by spraying herbicides,” said a senior official from the Health Department.
“If a suspected malaria or dengue patient is found in the NMMC area, a door-to-door indoor mosquito breeding spot is carried out in at least 100 houses nearby the spot,” said the official. Similarly, health awareness is provided to the citizens of the area.
