CHENNAI: In response to a petition filed to clean up and prevent water stagnation in vacant lands in the city, the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has sought a detailed report from the Chennai
corporation commissioner.
The case has been taken up by member Durai Jayachandran. In his petition, RTI activist Rohan Nahar stated that a vacant land near a pre-school in Clemens Road, Purasawalkam, should be cleaned up.
All such vacant lands should be identified and cleaned, preventing water stagnation and mosquito breeding, the petition said. It also sought adequate dustbins to aid solid waste management.
Quoting the Tamil Nadu government’s data on dengue, the petition says it claimed the lives of 65 people in 2017 out of 23,294 who were affected in the state. In 2018, 4486 people were affected and 13 deaths were recorded. In 2019 (until October 19), 4779 people were affected and four people had died.
Further, a dengue infection may damage the immune system, which might prove detrimental especially when the city is already fighting COVID-19, the petition stated.
Corporation commissioner G Prakash had announced on Tuesday that strict action would be taken against property owners allowing mosquito breeding in their premises.
A fine structure, from a minimum of Rs 100 to a maximum of Rs 1 lakh, is in place for such violations.