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CMC warns of legal action

by Bharatha Malawaraarachchi

The Colombo Municipal Health section has issued 425 notices to Government and private institutions and houses, warning them to clean their surroundings within seven days.

" Stern legal action will follow unless they adhere to our instructions," says Dr. Pradeep Kariyawasam, Chief Medical Officer. Those notices were issued during the last few weeks, under the Mosquito Brone Diseases Regulations.

The Municipal health officials have already taken legal action against 50 such places in the Colombo city.

A senior official of the Epidemiologist Unit told the Daily News that situation seems to be returning to normal. " It is not going up due to measures taken so far," he added.

Twenty eight deaths have been reported and nearly 3800 cases have been reported during this year.

A senior health official said that another leading school in the city may have to be closed soon for cleaning. Royal College was closed last week for one day.

Health officials have warned that many leading schools in the City were having ample mosquito breeding centres as school authorities are not concerned about ensuring a clean environment in their schools. Construction sites, uncompleted buildings, drains and ponds in schools have become mosquito breeding places.

A Special Inspection Unit comprising medical officers now carries out sudden inspections on schools and other institutions in the city. The unit comprises Medical Officers from the Health Ministry and the Colombo Municipal Council, Public Health Inspectors and officials from the Education Ministry.

Health authorities have now focused attention towards declaring a " Dengue Day " to mobilise citizens for cleaning up mosquito breeding places to ensure a clean environment.

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