BMC inspects three buildings where senior IAS officers reside after Forest Department secretary contracts disease from breeding spot in a tray at his home
Senior IAS officer and secretary of the forest department Vikas Kharge has joined the hundreds of people who have contracted dengue this month. Kharge’s condition has led to the BMC officials visiting his building and two more buildings where IAS officers reside, to inspect and destroy mosquito-breeding spots. In the first 11 days of September, 102 dengue cases were confirmed, compared to 93 recorded in all of August. Dengue is spread by the aedes aegypti mosquito that breeds in fresh water, mostly indoors, and bites during daytime.
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The Nilambari building, which is home to several IAS officers (insert) Senior IAS officer Vikas Kharge
Breeding in a tray
A senior civic official said, “When we inspected the Nilambari building [where Kharge resides], which is home to several IAS officials, we found dengue mosquito breeding spots there. In Kharge’s house, the breeding spot of the aedes mosquito was found in a tray kept below the refrigerator. The team has destroyed the breeding spots.”
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According to a source, Kharge was reportedly admitted to a hospital for treatment on Monday. The source said, “Doctors have advised him to take treatment for at least a week,” adding, “Following their inspection of breeding spots at Nilambari, civic officials also visited the Bell Heaven building in Marine Lines and Yashodhan building in Churchgate, that also house several IAS officials. This team observed a dengue mosquito breeding spot at the terrace in Yashodhan and in the home of a senior IAS officer in Bell Heaven.”
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No action?
When asked if BMC going to issue notices to these officials for the spots, an official said the further course of action is yet to be decided. The civic body had found several mosquito breeding spots in Yashodhan last year as well. However, officials did not take any further action against the society as senior IAS officials live there.
The BMC can issue notices for not maintaining mosquito-proof premises under section 381 of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act.
A penalty is also imposed. Between September 1 and 11, the insecticide department officers have found 1,974 mosquito breeding spots across the city. Each breeding spot could have 150-200 eggs.
Since January 11, BMC has issued 11,237 notices to those found responsible for mosquito breeding spots. Of them, 637 have been prosecuted and R22 lakh have been collected in fines.
102
Dengue cases recorded in first 11 days of September
1.9k
Mosquito breeding spots found across Mumbai in 11 days of Sept
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