Noida health dept to start penalising owners if dengue larvae is found on premises

Officials said that penalty of ₹100 for every breeding spot will be imposed on small houses and ₹500 on large residential areas. A penalty of ₹1,000 for every breeding spot will be imposed on small offices and ₹5,000 per breeding spot for larger commercial establishments and offices

As dengue cases continue to rise across the state of Uttar Pradesh, the Gautam Budh Nagar health department has decided to impose penalties if mosquito larvae is found on the premises of any establishment in the district.

Health workers conduct a fumigation drive in Noida on Wednesday. (Sunil Ghosh/HT Photo)

So far this year, the district has recorded 167 dengue cases, which is the second highest tally since 2016, health officials said. Last year, 667 cases were reported in Gautam Budh Nagar, the highest tally since 2016. In the five years prior to 2021, cases had not crossed double digits, the officials said.

The health department has identified clusters from where most cases are being reported and is conducting checking drives. Meanwhile, the department has also fixed a penalty amount for different kinds of establishments where breeding of mosquitoes was found on the premises. Cases have seen a substantial rise in neighbouring Ghaziabad and the state capital Lucknow as well, officials said.

“We were conducting awareness drives and sending notices, but we have not imposed penalties as yet. However, with increasing cases we have got the penalty rates approved and will now be imposing penalties if we find any mosquito breeding. People have been repeatedly informed that they need to be careful and not to let fresh water accumulate around their homes and offices,” said Rajesh Sharma, district malaria officer.

Officials said that penalty of ₹100 for every breeding spot will be imposed on small houses and ₹500 on large residential areas. Similarly, a penalty of ₹1,000 for every breeding spot will be imposed on small offices or institutions and ₹5,000 per breeding spot for larger commercial establishments and offices.

The health department has also identified clusters or high-risk areas from where most cases have been reported. These include Sadarpur, Barola, Nithari, Sectors 49, 22, 58, 44 and Dujana village.

“These are all areas from where more than five cases have been reported together were confirmed as dengue in the Eliza test. Areas such as Nithari and Sadar have been dengue hot spots before as well. Usually, people in these areas keep water stored in large vessels and buckets at home, which are easy breeding grounds for the Aedes mosquito that causes dengue,” said the DMO.

He further said while residents from Greater Noida West also complained of increasing cases of dengue, checking drives found that there were very few cases from any one area in that locality and no cluster was identified.

“We are conducting an entomological (relating to insects and their scientific study) survey and are also checking these areas regularly. Authorities are also conducting routine fogging across Noida and Greater Noida. However, it is important that people also avoid water accumulating near their homes,” said Sharma.

Officials said some of places where water can collect easily are coolers, discarded tyres, open tanks, vases, pots, thermocol utensils or around tubewells. In case there is a breeding ground, kerosene or petrol should be poured over the water. Doctors also suggest that people wear full sleeves and use mosquito repellents.