Noida: Health dept issues notice to schools on mosquito breeding

Breeding grounds on school premises pose a threat to students as school uniforms do not cover their limbs and, hence, are more vulnerable to mosquito-borne ailments such as dengue, chikungunya and malaria.

Continuing with its drive against the breeding of mosquitoes, the district health department is now focussing on private schools in Noida that have not adopted adequate vector control measures.

The two schools have been given three days to destroy breeding sites on their premises, failing which, they will be penalised by the health department. (HT Photo)

On Monday morning, a team from the health department issued notices to Manav Rachna International School (MRIS) and LPS Global School in Sector 51 for being negligent in destroying mosquito breeding grounds.

The two schools have been given three days to destroy breeding sites on their premises, failing which, they will be penalised by the health department.

“This time, we focussed on schools and conducted surprise inspections. We found stagnant water in a number vases and containers. The school authorities have been issued notices,” Rajesh Sharma, district malaria officer, health department, Gautam Budh Nagar, said.

Breeding grounds on school premises pose a threat to students as school uniforms do not cover their limbs and, hence, are more vulnerable to mosquito-borne ailments.

This is the fifth instance in the past three weeks when the health department has conducted surprise inspections and issued notices to multiple agencies. In the recent past, the likes of Noida Authority, district hospital, police, residents’ welfare association, cancer research institute and others have come under scrutiny for their alleged negligence in removing stagnant water.

The department has been running a campaign for more than a month, asking locals to check the breeding of mosquitoes. Residents have been asked not to allow water to stagnate in empty vessels, coolers, pots, vases and discarded tyres.

“We will be focussing more and more on schools as children are vulnerable to such diseases,” Sharma said.

Commenting on the issue, professor SN Kulkarni, chief executive officer of LPS Global School, said that corrective measures were taken immediately after the notice was issued to them.

“We realise the seriousness of the issue and took corrective measures promptly by destroying the breeding grounds. However, stagnant water found in a container was at a construction site on our premises and is out of harm’s way for our students. Moreover, the flower pots had just been watered when the inspection team arrived,” Kulkarni said.

No official from MRIS was available for comment in the matter.