Anti-dengue campaign: 14 shopkeepers held

ICT admin constitutes teams for field checks and fumigation of commercial areas.

ISLAMABAD:

Fourteen shopkeepers were held in the federal capital on Sunday for not taking necessary precautions for dengue prevention, after the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration and police conducted anti-dengue checks in the city.

City Assistant Commissioner Muhammad Ali visited Aabpara and Blue Area commercial markets and other surrounding areas. In G-7 Markaz, six shopkeepers were booked for not disposing off used tyres from in front of their shops while seven shopkeepers were held for the same offence in Blue Area. Ramna police alsoarrested a shopkeeper, who runs a tyre shop near a petrol pump in G-10 Markaz, because he had not properly covered the tyres in his shop.

Used tyres provide suitable conditions for dengue larvae to survive and hatch in to dengue mosquitoes. In 2013 so far, 450 positive cases of dengue virus and at least three deaths were reported in the twin cities.

The ICT administration has enforced Section 144 in connection with preventive measures against dengue in the federal capital. This includes directions for shopkeepers to cover used tyres and move them indoors. The administration has also constituted special teams for field checks and fumigation of commercial areas as part of the anti-dengue drive.

All the 14 people held on Sunday were booked on charges of disobedience to duty promulgated under Section 188 of the Pakistan Penal Code.

According to law, if the disobedience causes danger to human life or health,

Published in The Express Tribune, November 12^th, 2013.