MCC asked construction agencies to clear stagnant water at sites

MANGALURU: The Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) in a bid to control the spread of disease caused by the water-born insects, on August 29, directed all construction agencies in the city to carry out drives every Saturday to clear stagnant water from the construction sites.

Gayathri Nayak, deputy commissioner (Revenue), directed all the representatives of construction agencies in the corporation meeting that a drive should be compulsorily carried out every Saturday at all under construction sites and abandoned project areas of the agencies to curb the breeding of mosquitoes.

She asked the agency representative to submit a detailed report of their construction sites and contact details of person-in-charge by next Friday, September 6. Gayathri said, “This is a mandatory requirement. We are closely monitoring it and penal action will be taken against those not complying with it.”

To check the health of the labors working in these construction sites, the corporation will hold ward-wise health camps between September 3 and September 9.

Navinchandra Kulal, district disease surveillance officer the major cause of malaria and dengue spread is the stagnant water at the construction sites and in abandoned buildings. “We need to jointly work to eliminate these breeding spots and break the cycle of growth these infected mosquitoes,” he said.

Dr Kulal asked the agencies to stop stagnant water in construction sites and regularly clear the water in the buildings. If water is needed to be cured agency can spray insecticide to prevent breeding of insects and mosquitoes.

The corporation is also looking to bring new building bylaws for changing the design of the sunshade in upcoming buildings after observing the mosquito breeding in water stocked on window shades.

Nayak also asked agencies to suggest ways to prevent accumulation of water on sunshades in the existing buildings.