Karnataka - Mangalore   

Officials inspect buildings under construction

MANGALORE: Health and town planning officials of Mangalore City Corporation inspected 30 buildings under construction in the city on Friday and Saturday to check if there was any room for the breeding of larvae of Anopheles mosquitoes that cause malaria.

Some buildings were checked for the second time as the contractors concerned had been notified earlier to clear the larvae breeding spots in the buildings. However, the officials checked some new buildings under construction during the two days. Contractors of four buildings, who had failed to curb the breeding of larvae even after being notified to do so, were fined Rs. 1,000 each, an official said, on the condition of anonymity. Those buildings were located at Attavar, Shivabagh, Mallikatta and Kadri, he added.

“We will recommend for the cancellation of the licence of a contractor who is constructing a building at Karangalpady. Larvae were found in large quantity in that building. During the first inspection, the contractor had been instructed to ensure that there was no room for the breeding of larvae. But he has ignored it,” the official said.

The buildings located on Jail Road, Pinto Lane near Kadri Kambla, Karangalpady, Sturrock Road, Attavar and Kadri area were checked during the two days.

The officials had on Friday found larvae in the overhead water tank of a high-rise building on Sturrock Road. It had also come to their notice that the overhead water tanks in nearby houses were kept open.

The team of health officials found larvae in a building under construction for Mangalore Electricity Supply Company Ltd at Kadri on Friday.

They were found in the rain water collected in some old tyres and in the grooves of a staircase being constructed. The officials emptied the tyres.

Lebwine K.A. Colaso, supervisor, malaria control cell of the corporation, told The Hindu that one construction worker at Kadri had been tested positive for malaria in December last. The corporation had distributed five bed-nets to ten labourers there. However, no more positive cases surfaced among construction workers subsequently, he said.

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