Bengaluru civic body BBMP to fine properties over cleanliness amid surge in dengue: Report

As dengue cases rise, the BBMP mulls imposing fines starting at ₹50 for neglecting premises cleanliness, escalating to ₹15 daily.

Published on: Jul 5, 2024, 16:45:12 IST

By Yamini C S

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Due to a sharp increase in dengue cases, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), the civic and administrative body of Bengaluru city, is considering imposing fines on property owners who neglect cleanliness on their premises. Offenders could face an initial fine of ₹50 for their first offense, with an additional daily penalty of ₹15 thereafter, The Times of India reported.

Karnataka's Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao instructed all district deputy commissioners to initiate a comprehensive door-to-door campaign aimed at raising awareness about dengue across the state. (HT Archive)

Under the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike Prevention and Control of Mosquito Breeding and Eradication of Malaria and Other Mosquito-Borne Disease Bylaw-1997, BBMP officials are empowered to enter any property, including buildings, for inspection and to enforce measures against mosquito breeding.

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Property owners will initially receive instructions to eliminate stagnant water; failure to comply may result in a ₹50 fine for breaching the bylaw, followed by ₹15 per day for each subsequent violation upon receiving a notice, the report stated.

Zonal-level officials have been directed to enforce these fines uniformly across residential and commercial properties. Concurrently, the BBMP has initiated a city-wide survey covering over 24 lakh houses to detect dengue cases and eradicate mosquito larvae, it added.

Public education campaigns emphasize preventative actions such as clearing stagnant water and maintaining hygienic water storage practices. Additionally, the BBMP is targeting public areas like park fountains and construction sites, holding developers accountable for maintaining cleanliness under the threat of penalties.

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Meanwhile, Karnataka's Health Minister, Dinesh Gundu Rao, instructed all district deputy commissioners to initiate a comprehensive door-to-door campaign aimed at raising awareness about dengue across the state, news agency PTI reported. During a virtual meeting with the DCs, CEOs of Zilla Panchayats, and senior officials, Rao emphasized the importance of involving district health officers, health workers, ASHA, and Anganwadi workers in eradicating dengue larvae.

The Minister's directives also focused on preventing any dengue-related fatalities in Karnataka. He also urged officials to ensure that hospitals and diagnostic centres do not overcharge for dengue tests and other vector-borne disease treatments.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More

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