Chennai, July 14(BPNS)

The Greater Chennai corporation will fine apartment sites, residential sites, small shops and premises and malls, and other buildings if found to have stagnant water in their premises that breed mosquito larva. With intermittent rains on a daily or alternate basis, the puddle of water is turning into breeding grounds of mosquitos and the corporation has already issued warnings to almost all residential complexes, individual homes as well as malls and shops, and premises.

The corporation officials said that they have commenced intense activities to prevent dengue spread and that it will penalize residents and establishments if found to have mosquito breeding in their premises.

The city has, according to health officials nine dengue cases from July till Tuesday while in June there were three cases of dengue.

According to officials during the North-East monsoon which has heavy rains, the mosquito eggs are washed away but during the present South West monsoons, the intermittent rains cause puddles of water leading to the breeding of mosquitos. The health department of the Greater Chennai Corporation has already deployed several squads across the corporation limits to find out about the stagnant water bodies and to spray insecticides to destroy the mosquito larvae.

The Greater Chennai Corporation has already chalked out a plan and will conduct an inspection near the residence of the patient admitted with dengue. Owners of the houses will be provided notice and in the second instance will be provided with Rs 100 and Rs 200 for the third violation. 

An amount of Rs 500 will be levied from apartment complexes as first violation charges, Rs 5000 for the second violation, and Rs 15000 for the third violation. Small shops will be fined Rs 500,2000 and 5000 respectively for the first, second, and third violations respectively.

Regarding Government buildings, Commercial establishments, and industries will have to pay Rs 10,000 for the first time violation, 25,000 for the second time, and Rs 1,00,000 for the third violation.

A senior official with the Greater Chennai Corporation while speaking to BPNS said, “The corporation will be conducting surprise inspections at residential complexes, shops, and commercial buildings as well as individual homes and flats to find whether there is stagnant water in their premises. Except for individual homes, where we will serve a notice, in all other places we will charge a fine for the first violation itself. People have to be more responsible to contain diseases spread by mosquitos and if no action is taken, there will not be any result.”