BMC prosecutes 638 individuals, housing societies on dengue spots

The civic authorities have prosecuted 638 individuals and housing societies for not taking precautionary steps to prevent breeding of mosquitoes, which spread the deadly dengue virus, in their homes and building premises.

During routine inspection across the 24 wards, civic teams also discovered 18 such dangerous spots at government offices.

What is the punishment?
The cases have been registered under section 381(B) of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act, which lays down a penalty of between Rs2,000 and Rs5,000 for the offence.

"Even though the fine is meagre, the stigma of getting into legal trouble could be a deterrent in the case of people who take the matter casually," said a senior official in the health department.

Who are the offenders?
Interestingly, some of the cases involve noted personalities and celebrities, sources said. But officials would not reveal names.

In the case of a housing society found to be negligent, the blame will rest on the chairman and the secretary.

What steps has BMC taken?
The official explained that the department had increased the frequency of fogging, while also working harder to spread awareness about the problem and prevention measures, through posters and other means.

This year, 347 cases of dengue have been recorded, as against 927 cases last year. There were 11 deaths last year. The numbers do not include cases treated at private hospitals which are said to be many more than the number reported at public hospitals.

What are the problem spots?
"We explain to residents not to allow collection of stagnant water in their homes and surroundings as these can turn into breeding spots for the aedes egypti species of the mosquito," the official said.

The official pointed out that flower pots, feng shui plants, Petri dishes, drums or buckets used to store water and flower vases are most common spots where these mosquitoes breed.

Sanjay Deshmukh, additional municipal commissioner, said, "Contrary to popular perception that mosquitoes breed mostly in unclean locations, more breeding spots were discovered at high profile societies this year."