72 institutions fined for breeding of mosquitoes in premises: NDMC

From public schools to government office premises, 72 institutions have been penalised by civic authorities in north Delhi in nearly the last five months for breeding of mosquito larvae in their premises, officials said on Wednesday.

According to the vector-control programme data, the North Delhi Municipal Corporation establishments which were issued challans from late April to September included schools in Turkman Gate to PWD Office and metro stations.

Nearly 50 cases of malaria were reported in the first week of September, taking the total number of affected people in the national capital to over 200, the latest municipal report released on Monday said.

Of the 202 malaria cases this year, 48 were reported in September, 56 in August, 54 in July, 35 in June, eight in May and just one in April, it said.

According to the report, 40 cases of chikungunya have also been reported this year.

The number of dengue cases recorded till September 7 stood at 122, with 30 reported this month and 52 in August, the report stated.

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.

Both the Delhi government and the local bodies have been making efforts to raise awareness on precautions to ensure that there is no breeding of mosquito larvae.

The Arvind Kejriwal government has started an anti-dengue campaign '10 Hafte 10 Baje 10 Minute', urging people to inspect their houses for any standing water.

The campaign to combat dengue has garnered support from several personalities, including cricket legend Kapil Dev, many Bollywood actors and well-known journalists.

The campaign began on September 1 and will go on till November 15.