MANGALORE: The district administration on Tuesday held an emergency meeting to chalk out an action plan to control malaria. Deputy Commissioner M. Maheshwara Rao directed officials to take immediate action to control the disease.

The meeting was attended by medical specialists of the city, officials of district health office, Mangalore City Corporation (MCC) officials and NGOs working in the field of malaria control.

Mr. Rao asked officials to take strict action against those responsible to the spread of malaria.

He also ordered the officials of the health department of the MCC to start an awareness campaign to control mosquito breeding. He asked the officials to raid construction sites in the city, and to take action against those allowing mosquito breeding.

Mr. Rao declared three areas — Kodikal, Bengre and Kankanady — as "high risk" areas.

However, the MCC officials pointed out that Bejai recorded the highest incidents of malaria. There were 185 cases in the area in November, they said.

According to the MCC sources there were 14,200 cases of malaria reported between January and November 2006. In 2005, there were 18,517 malaria cases reported in the same period. There were four deaths in the city due to malaria, including that of Beena, a girl who was staying in BCM Hostel on Kudmul Ranga Rao Road.

The sources said that the MCC had given a notice to Fr. Mullers Hospital on November 5 after it was found that mosquitoes were breeding in large number in the water storage tanks.

The sources said that Mangala Nursing Home in the city, and Mangalore South Police station were also found to be breeding grounds for mosquitoes.

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