Public health: Inspection of commercial buildings sought for dengue larvae

FIRs to be registered against businesses if dengue larvae found at their premises.

LAHORE: An anti-dengue team in Samanabad Town was asked on Tuesday to inspect commercial buildings in the area for possible dengue mosquito breeding sites.

The directive was issued at a meeting of the Town Emergency Response Committee for Anti-Dengue Efforts. The meeting was chaired by National Assembly Member Mehr Ishtiaq Ahmed.

Ahmed said strict action, including registration of FIRs, would be taken against businesses if dengue mosquito larvae were found on their premises during an inspection.

Ahmed said collective efforts could ensure elimination of all dengue mosquito breeding sites in the area. He asked officials concerned to distribute pamphlets in neighbourhoods and in markets with information about measures to be taken to prevent breeding of dengue mosquitoes.

The team was directed to regularly visit graveyards and junkyards in the area and ensure that there was no stagnant water there.

The Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) and the Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) officers present at the meeting were asked to examine their infrastructure in the area for leaks or water puddles and ensure compliance with the directives. Officials of the Schools Education Department were asked to coordinate their efforts with the anti-dengue team for removal of dengue mosquito larvae from schools.

Town Municipal Officer Malik Imtiaz Awan was also present on the occasion.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 19^th, 2015.