‘Ensure building sites are mosquito-free’

Civic officials say they will conduct checks before monsoon to ensure developers have followed instructions

The town planning department of the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) along with the health department has issued instructions to 450 under-construction building under its jurisdiction from Belapur to Digha.

As per the officials from the department the notice was issued to ensure so that there is no issue of the mosquito menace during monsoon.

Officials said that this a part of the pre-monsoon drive in which they conduct a survey of the under construction premises.

“The notice was issued last week and has been put up in the NMMC website," said Kishor Agraharkar, town planning officer, town planning department of NMMC.

The notification tells developers to ensure there is no pit or huge trenches where water is stored and get accumulated and become a favourable spot for mosquito breeding.

Second, the material used for construction should be kept in an organised manner in a dry place.

“Every year, during monsoon we find that many of the underconstruction sites become major grounds of mosquito breeding and pose health risk," said Dr Ujwala Oturkar, malaria officer, health department of NMMC.

"There have been many occasions where there are many sites where mosquito breeding is spotted and due to which people staying in the adjoining areas face health issues," he added.

Officials said before the onset of monsoon they will do a random check again to ensure whether the developers have followed the instructions.

Last year, the civic body gave notice to around 370 under construction buildings.

But, during monsoon many of them did not follow the instructions and officials from the health department found during a survey that around 60 to 70 breeding spots in the underconstruction sites.

Most of these spots were found in Belapur, Seawoods, Turbhe, Ghansoli, Rabale and Airoli.

Although, there is no action to be taken if the sites follow to comply with the orders, it is for general awareness and prevention of diseases.

“Even if they fail to clear off their sites of the trash and water accumulation, we ensure that they do it then and there when we go for our visits again and kill the active spots with larvicide treatment,” said the official.

Shiv Kumar Shah, 34, resident of Airoli, said, “Navi Mumbai is a developing area and there are many under-construction sites. Every monsoon, the construction sites become a breeding ground of mosquitoes due to water stagnation of water. This is a health hazard."