Section 144: Water use in public places banned

The city government has banned the washing of cars and motorcycles on roads or public spaces under Section 144 as a preventive measure to check the spread of the dengue mosquito. Acting on advice from Sri Lankan experts, the city government has also ordered that swimming pools be drained. The notification didn’t mention service stations at petrol stations, but an official told The Express Tribune that the ban on car washes would apply there too. UHS: Meanwhile, the University of Health Sciences (UHS) has postponed the First Professional MBBS Part II examination due to the dengue outbreak. The exams, scheduled to begin on September 19, will now start on September 27. A detailed date sheet will be issued on Monday.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 18^th, 2011.