Ludhiana: 1,020 challans issued over dengue larvae

The health teams issued 1,020 challans till October 20 this month during door-to-door inspections to combat the spread of dengue, officials said.

They said the violators were fined after dengue larvae were found.

During a meeting to review measures being implemented against dengue, deputy commissioner Jitendra Jorwal emphasised the importance of stricter enforcement of preventive strategies, such as issuing challans to homes and businesses where mosquito larvae are found.

He added that the health teams have visited nearly 2.9 million houses and inspected around 5.3 million water containers, including air coolers, storage tanks, tyres, trays and tanks, among other storages. Till date, Ludhiana has reported 187 dengue cases this year.

Jorwal said the teams conducted fogging across the city and are educating the public about how air coolers, storage containers, tyres, overhead tanks and broken pots can serve as breeding grounds for mosquitoes. He said the symptoms for dengue include severe headaches, pain behind the eyes and muscle and joint pains.

The DC urged residents to keep all water storage containers covered and to wear full-sleeved clothes to prevent mosquito bites. He reiterated the need for strong and decisive action in the fight against dengue and called on the local authorities, rural development agencies and other departments to continue enforcing cleanliness standards and imposing penalties on those who fail to comply.