Two arrested for attacking dengue workers

Court sends attackers to Adiala jail on judicial remand

RAWALPINDI:

Police arrested two shopkeepers for attacking the team of the health department searching for dengue larvae in the shops within the limits of Morgah police station.

A case has been registered against them. Police said that both the shopkeepers have been sent to Adiala jail on judicial remand. One of the shopkeepers was identified as Johar Khan.

According to the police, the health department officials also sealed two shops after they found dengue larvae there. The health team was searching dengue larvae during a field visit, along with the field Inspector Malik Hammad, when some enraged shopkeepers attacked them after the field workers recovered dengue larvae from their shops. The shopkeepers beat up the dengue field workers and also tore their clothes.

Upon receiving information about the incident, the Morgha police reached the spot, registered a case against them for interfering in the government affairs, and sent them to the Adiyala Jail.

Meanwhile, Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner Tahir Farooq has said that implementation of dengue SOPs is being ensured in the Rawalpindi district via constant surveillance. However, violation of SOPs still persists. Currently, 111 dengue violations have been reported throughout the district.

When an increase in dengue cases was reported in Kahuta, Farooq visited the city on Friday and instructed the health department to utilize all the available resources to control the spread of dengue larvae. Moreover, he also supervised the surveillance campaign to eradicate dengue.

Furthermore, he said that strict actions were being taken against those who have been violating the SOPs. In this regard, 18 FIRs have been registered, 11 challans fined, 72 notices given, 10 buildings sealed and a fine of Rs86,000 has also been imposed.

From January 1 to August 5, FIR against 742 people was registered, 879 challans were fined and 307 buildings were sealed as larvae were found on their premises. DC Rawalpindi further stated that a fine of Rs25,40,500 was also levied against the violators until now.

He claimed that consistent notices are being issued against violators in both residential and commercial areas. Moreover, surveillance is still underway to cater to violations as soon as possible.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, August 6^th, 2022.