|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
| Saturday, 31 July 2004 |
 |
|
 |
News | |
| News Business Features Editorial Security Politics World Letters Sports Obituaries
|
Schools, Govt institutions warned : Clean up in one week or face prosecution by Bharatha Malawaraarachchi Colombo Municipal Health officials have issued notices on several key Government institutions including the Labour Secretariat and several leading schools warning them to clean up their environment within one week to prevent mosquito breeding or face legal action. This follows an inspection program carried out by the Municipal Health officials to combat the dengue outbreak which has claimed 63 lives so far countrywide during this year. Under the CMC's strict anti-dengue campaign "clean-up or pay-up", a one week deadline was served on households and institutions to keep their environments clean or face legal action. Notices have also been served on the Central Transport Board and the Post Office at Narahenpita. "There were several mosquito breeding grounds in these institutions," an official claimed. Besides, officials have warned principals of several leading schools in Colombo to cleanup the environment within one week or face strict legal action. The Municipal authorities' tough action came amidst the alarming number of dengue cases reported in the city. During this month alone 324 cases have been reported while the total number of cases for the whole year is over 600. Among the areas which have been identified as the most affected are Cinnamon Gardens, Kollupitiya, Bambalapitiya, Wellawatte, Pamankada, Havelock Town, Kirulapone, Kirula, Narahenpita and Borella. "Notices will be issued on chief occupants of houses and owners or Heads of institutions which pose environmental hazards conducive to mosquito breeding, warning them to clean them within one week," says the Municipal Chief Medical Officer Dr. Pradeep Kariyawasam. Earlier, health officials claimed the Government departments and institutions had become the main mosquitoes breeding centres causing severe environmental degradation. The total number of suspected cases stood at 10,673 by yesterday while the number of deaths due to dengue fever rose to 63. Colombo , Gampaha and Kandy districts are the worst affected while Kurunegala, Trincomalee and Kalutara also recorded a high prevalence of dengue. "But the response from the people is very poor and this has led to the rapid increase of suspected cases," Dr. Kariyawasam said. He called on the public to extend their maximum cooperation to achieve success in the cleaning program in a bid to prevent a major outbreak of dengue in the city. The Ministry has installed a hotline for this purpose and the public could make their complaints over telephone No. 2675449 on such places which pose a threat to the environment and lead to the breeding of Dengue. |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
Produced by Lake House |
