Government and private hospitals in Chennai will have to shell fines up to Rs 10 lakh for allowing mosquitoes to breed on-premises as part of several measures by authorities to keep dengue, malaria, chikungunya and other mosquito-borne diseases under check.
“In some hospitals, used medicine bottles are left on the terrace. It is a sorry state of affair,” Times of India (TOI) quoted a senior Greater Chennai Corporation official as saying.
The city has more than six hundred 50-bed hospitals.
Residential areas, construction sites, educational institutions, industrial and commercial establishments will also have to face fines over mosquito-breeding sites.
Hospitals have especially been asked to keep an eye on unclean backyards, terraces and other areas that could provide a thriving environment for mosquitoes.
On Thursday, TOI reported, the Greater Chennai Corporation commissioner G Prakash urged doctors to create awareness among their patients regarding the dos and don’ts for protection from mosquitoes.
Prakash was addressing orientation training for on fever management and treatment protocol.
He also clarified that mosquito-control measures were being taken throughout the year and not just ahead of monsoons, with 2,950 domestic breeding checkers (DBC) working to survey potential breeding grounds in residences.
“We have divided the city into 3,000 blocks and each worker (DBC) will survey 500 houses in a week. They will check backyards and terraces for unused tyres, open water drums and other areas,” Prakash was quoted as saying.
Sanitary officers overseeing the campaign will be monitored by zonal health officers, the commissioner said, adding that government buildings, vacant plots and locked houses were also on the radar of authorities.
24,000 vacant plots have already been identified in the city. Their owners will be penalized if they fail to take action after being notified about the problem.
“Fines are not our intention. But, sometimes we are forced to resort to this measure,” Prakash said.
Greater Chennai Corporation has also urged heads of departments of all government offices, including the Secretariat, to keep their premises clean.
Director of public health Dr K Kolandaisamy has already appealed private hospitals to keep their surroundings clean and inform the corporation or the public health department immediately in case an infected person is admitted.
140 urban primary health centres and 15 100-bed hospitals within the corporation limits treat patients free of cost.
Rajasthan, where over 1,300 dengue and malaria cases have been reported this year, recently announced to set up rapid response teams and control rooms to curb diseases such as malaria, swine flu, chikungunya and dengue.
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