Chennai corporation to penalise mosquito-breeding sites

CHENNAI: With intermittent rain in the city, Greater Chennai Corporation has started intensive dengue prevention activities and is penalising residents and establishments if mosquito/larval breeding is found on their premises.
According to corporation sources, the city has recorded nine dengue cases in the city in July till Tuesday. In June, three cases were recorded.
Corporation sources said if rain continues, then the eggs would be washed away but intermittent rain causing small puddles of freshwater can aid breeding.
The dengue mosquito, Aedes, lays eggs in stagnant water. During North-east monsoon, the heavy rains wash away these eggs and larvae. But during the south-west monsoon, which is now, intermittent rains cause puddles which aid the breeding of these mosquitoes, an official said.
Corporation sources said that for every case, they conduct an inspection near the home of a patient and try to find out sources of the mosquito breeding sites. “In one case, we found that near the house of the patient, there were scrap shops where tyres had pools of stagnant water which had some mosquitoes,” an official said.
According to the penalty structure, owners of houses will be issued notices during the first violation, Rs 100 for the second violation and Rs 200 for the third violation.
Apartment complexes will be fined Rs 500 for first violation, Rs 5,000 for second and Rs 15,000 for third violations. Small shops will be fined Rs 500 for first time violations, Rs 2,000 and Rs 5,000 for second and third violations. Commercial establishments, Government buildings and industries will have to pay Rs 10,000 for first-time violation, Rs 25,000 for second-time and Rs 1 lakh for third-time violations.