240 buildings issued notices over mosquito-breeding

The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has issued notices to over 240 prominent buildings, including those housing the offices of the environment ministry and a hospital after mosquitoes were found breeding in their premises.

The move comes after a spike in the cases of malaria in June. The civic body has formed a surveillance team, which is inspecting all buildings since last month as mosquito-breeding is conducive in monsoon.

Notices have been issued to 240 to government offices, hospitals and schools after vector-carrying mosquitoes were found breeding in their premises, a senior NDMC official told PTI.

"Some of the defaulters include Paryavaran Bhawan, Rajiv Gandhi Bhawan and Lady Hardinge hospital," the official said.

"We had undertaken an intensive drive to check the rooftops of government buildings, private buildings, hospitals, schools and residential colonies in the NDMC area for taking precautionary measures to check and control in spreading dengue, malaria and chikungunya diseases.

"During the drive, as many as 1,140 houses were also visited, out of which 33 houses were found positive," he added.

The civic body has planned an intensive sanitation drive from July 17-19, in which the entire NDMC area will be checked.

At least 51 people were affected by malaria in June. The total number of malaria and dengue cases reported till Sunday are 60 and 26, respectively, according to a municipal report released on Monday.

Last year, 2,798 dengue cases and four deaths were recorded by the South Delhi Municipal Corporation, which tabulates the data on vector-borne diseases in the city.