NEW DELHI: Seventy-six legal notices have been sent to multiple authorities after mosquito larvae were found breeding on the premises of several government offices in Delhi in the last few months, civic officials said on Wednesday.
Dengue cases have been recorded earlier this year due to weather conditions being congenial for mosquito-breeding.
Nearly 160 dengue cases have been reported in the national capital so far this year, including at least 15 in July, according to a report released by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) on Monday.
A senior official on Wednesday said action was being taken as part of a special drive by the MCD to check the spread of dengue and other vector-borne diseases.
"During this drive, breeding of mosquito larvae was detected on the premises of BSES office, various central government offices, CPWD office and colony, DDA offices, Delhi government's offices, Delhi Jal Board offices, Delhi Police offices and colony, DMRC office, a DTC depot, Indian Railways colony, MTNL office, PWD office.
Also, 105 overhead tanks were found uncovered," the MCD said in a statement.
It said it has issued a total of 76 legal notices and launched 30 prosecutions during this drive.
"One on-spot fine against GGSS School no.1 Pashcim Puri Market-2 was issued, and administrative charges from two offices i.e.KVS School Sector-5 Dwarka and Government School Khaira Village, Najafgarh, for Rs 2,500, were also collected," the statement said.
The MCD's public health department has organised targeted special awareness drives to detect mosquito-breeding at several government offices in its West, South, Central and Najafgarh zones.
"During this special campaign, 902 government offices, premises and colonies (schools, flats, offices and parks) were checked and larvae destroyed immediately at sites where breeding was detected," the official said.
Legal measures were taken against defaulters for mosquito-genic condition or breeding found on premises of Keshopur Mandi, Delhi Jal Board's office at Punjabi Bagh, Police Chauki Raghuvir Nagar, BSES store at Hastsal, Rajiv Ratan Awas, Nawada Metro station, CRPF school at Sector-16 Dwarka, CGHS Manglapuri dispensary, Delhi government dispensaries at Sector-12 and Sector-17 Dwarka, Baba Haridas Nagar police station, DTC depot at Dichaun Kalan, and a dog sterilisation centre at Bijwasan, the statement said.
According to the report issued on Monday, the city recorded 23 dengue cases in January, 16 in February, 22 in March, 20 in April, 30 in May and 32 in June. It said 15 cases were reported till July 9. Five fresh cases of dengue have been report in the last week.
The total count of dengue cases reported in the national capital this year stood at 158 till July 16, while it was 153 till July 9.
No death due to the disease has been reported so far, the MCD report said.
The count of dengue cases reported in Delhi between January 1 and July 16 last year was 40.
The corresponding figure was 28 in 2020, 32 in 2019, 43 in 2018 and 98 in 2017, the report said.
Cases of vector-borne diseases are usually reported between July and November, sometimes stretching till mid-December.
Delhi also has reported 29 cases of malaria and eight cases of chikungunya so far this year, the report said.