3 builders asked to stop work

The civic building proposal department has served stop-work notices to three builders, which had failed to comply with the site correction measures, as required to be followed under the civic body’s anti-malaria drive.

The civic building proposal department has served stop-work notices to three builders, which had failed to comply with the site correction measures, as required to be followed under the civic body’s anti-malaria drive.

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“Out of 2,690 construction sites, civic body has so far sent notices to more than 100 sites, which had failed to comply with its directive to follow anti-larvicide spraying,” said Manisha Mhaiskar, additional municipal commissioner (health).

Even after the first notice served by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), developers failed to respond, almost defeating the purpose of the anti-malaria campaign taken up by the corporation.

According to civic data, construction work is going on at more than 2,690 sites across the city and the health department had issued warning to all, asking them to take adequate measures.

Most of them responded to the notice and cleaned up their mess, installing pumps to de-water the sites and pits filled with water, which had become breeding grounds for mosquitoes.

Some took measures such as fogging and appointing pest control officers.

“We are coordinating with the public agencies too such as the Western Railway, Airports Authority of India and they have taken corrective measures.”

This week the civic building proposal department issued stop work notices to three construction sites — in Prabhadevi, Worli and Kurla.

The civic health department has planned to organise special blood test and health check up camps near construction sites and will be treated if found any construction worker, suspicious patient of malaria or dengue.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has been under attack from all quarters for its failure to handle the unprecedented rise in malaria cases and the civic body has drawn guidelines to curb malaria cases at construction sites and public places.

Since June 1, more than 1,243 patients, who were suffering from malaria, had been treated in various civic hospitals.