Entry Gate at PGIMER in Chandigarh. (Express Archive)
The Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) is among those issued show cause notices by the malaria wing of the UT health department after finding mosquitogenic conditions in the inspected areas, said health officials on Saturday.
As many as nine show cause notices have been issued by the health department in the city so far.
A senior official from the malaria wing of the health department told Chandigarh Newsline that during their inspection recently, they found mosquitogenic conditions on the PGI campus. “We issued two show cause notices after our inspecting team found mosquitogenic conditions like the presence of larvae in two PGI hostels,” he said.
The official also said that the warden of two hostels at PGI were verbally communicated to as well to take preventive measures to control vector-borne diseases on the campus. “We have received communication from the PGI that they will take steps in future,” said the official.
In Chandigarh, no fresh cases of dengue or chikungunya have been reported.
Not only PGI, but health officials also said that a workshop of the Chandigarh Transport Undertaking (CTU) in Industrial Area was also sent a show-cause notice.
Dr Upendrajeet Singh Gill, Assistant Director, Malaria, told Chandigarh Newsline that they have issued eight challans so far in the ongoing drive to check cleanliness. “We have also issued more than 1400 notices in the city. Our teams on the ground have been asked to take strict action against the violators,” he said, adding that after the recent rainfall, there were chances of dengue cases being detected. “We are on alert and all measures are in place,” said Gill.
According to health records, seven cases of dengue, eight cases of malaria and two cases of chikungunya have been detected in the city till May 31.
Concerned by the rise in dengue cases in the region, the Punjab and Haryana High Court last year took suo motu cognizance of the issue and ought a response from the Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh administrations.
In 2017, The number of dengue cases in Chandigarh was 1,094 in 2017 and 1,246 in 2016.