Give 2 warnings before issuing challan for mosquito breeding: Delhi CM to officials

New Delhi, July 16 (PTI) Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Wednesday directed officials to start fogging early to check for vector-borne diseases and to issue two warnings before issuing challans related to mosquito breeding due to stagnant water.

Gupta chaired a high-level meeting with senior officers of various departments, including the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), to review preparations for preventing vector-borne diseases and emphasised the need for awareness, surveillance and proactive action.

She further instructed that fogging operations must begin ahead of the scheduled time to ensure early containment of mosquito-borne diseases.

The chief minister emphasised that the next two months are crucial and that preparations must begin immediately, focusing on awareness, surveillance, and coordinated action, an official statement said.

Gupta insisted on utilising all available media platforms for awareness campaigns and taking adequate measures in schools, parks, hospitals, and open areas to prevent mosquito breeding. She noted that residents must be given two warnings before any challan is issued against them, to give them a chance to adopt preventive measures on their own.

Officials informed the chief minister that fogging typically begins in September; in response, Gupta requested that the schedule be moved up to reassure the public that the government is actively addressing dengue and similar diseases. Gupta also called on ensuring that there is no shortage of medicines or equipment, and instructed that any issues be reported directly to her office.

"Protecting citizens from these diseases is our government's priority," the chief minister noted.

So far, fogging and anti-mosquito spraying have been conducted across 509,524 homes, and larvae were found and eradicated in 71,086 homes. These actions are crucial for breaking the chain of infection, she said.

Under biological control measures, larvivorous fishes were released at 279 locations across Delhi to help naturally eliminate mosquito larvae, the statement said. PTI VIT VIT MPL MPL