Karnataka - Mangalore   

Malaria: Mayor conducts surprise checks

By Our Staff Correspondent

The Mayor, Purandaradasa Kulur, inspecting a construction site in Mangalore.

MANGALORE, FEB. 3. The Mayor of Mangalore, Purandaradasa Kulur, conducted surprise checks in various parts of Mangalore recently to detect violations of the Mangalore City Corporation's guidelines to builders to prevent breeding of mosquitoes.

Mr. Kulur told The Hindu that for the past ten years, Mangalore had battled the spread of malaria. Experts at the corporation's Malaria Control Cell had told him that controlling the spread of malaria was not becoming any easier owing to many breeding spaces in the city, he said and added that mosquitoes breed in stagnant water found commonly at construction sites.

Mr. Kulur said that at any given point of time, at least 30 large buildings and over 1,500 houses are under construction. Huge quantity of water stagnates either on the rooftop or in the temporary water tanks and drums, which helps mosquitoes to breed, he added. He noted that despite issuing several notices, violations are continuing in Mangalore. He said he is thinking of introducing a series of regulations to control malaria in the city. Though he did not elaborate on the nature of regulations, he said the existing rules have enough teeth to bring the violators to the book. However, Mr. Kulur noted that surveillance needs to be improved.

Fines

Mr. Kulur said the corporation has started fining violators this year. As many as 10 builders have been fined, he said and added that this will serve as a warning to those who violate rules.

Sureshchandra Bolar, coordinator of the Malaria Control Cell, said many labourers, who work at the construction sites, come from places with a high incidence of malaria such as Bidar and Bellary.

This has also contributed to the spread of malaria, Mr. Bolar added.

The Health Officer, Padmanabha, who was a part of the team that conducted the surprise checks, said the Health Department of the corporation has advised builders to give construction labourers mosquito nets and organise regular health check-ups for them.

The Health Inspector, Gopalakrishna Delampady, said every household has been supplied with handbills about the prevention of malaria. In the past three years, over one lakh handbills have been distributed and six teams have been involved in a door-to-door campaign programme, he added.

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