Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Mayor Fazle Noor Taposh on Monday said the under-construction buildings are responsible for 40 percent of dengue infections in the city. “The under-construction buildings created obstruction to control mosquitoes though we are conducting drives regularly. Besides, the authorities also slapped fines in some cases. But no visible steps have been seen from the real estate businessperson,” he said. DSCC mayor revealed this information while speaking at a view-exchange meeting over controlling dengue and chikungunya, held at the Nagar Bhaban. Also read: Civic body launches anti-dengue drive in north Dhaka Issuing a warning, Taposh also said if the real estate businessperson would not take any steps to improve the environment then they will not only fine them but also stop construction work of the building. He also urged the real estate businessperson under government organisations to take steps to destroy Aedes mosquitoes, which are the vectors of the virus.. “It is our duty to keep the residents of Dhaka free from spread of Aedes mosquitoes and outbreaks of dengue. It will be possible when we make it a social movement and it is impossible for only city corporations,” he said. Also read: As mosquitoes rage across Dhaka, Mayor Taposh finds ‘solution in public awareness’ Besides, Taposh also stressed the need for creating awareness among people with a slogan ‘To remove accumulated water regularly instead of three days’.

Mobile courts fined a number of houses and establishments Tk 46,000 on Sunday for having the larvae of Aedes mosquito on their premises in different parts of Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC).   The mobile courts conducted drives in Uttara, Mirpur-2, Shahzadpur, Kalaura and Shah Alibagh areas of Mirpur-10, Karwan Bazar, Bhatara, Nurer Chala and Sutipara areas from 10am to 12pm as part of a combing operation, said  a press releae.   During the drive, DNCC officials visited 1,748 houses, establishments and under-construction buildings.   It also issued warnings to some homeowners as they failed to cooperate with the city corporation authorities in controlling the Ades mosquito spread.   In a bid to protect the city dwellers from dengue, the DNCC launched the combing operation from Saturday and conducted the mobile court drives alongside it.   During the mobile court drives, starting May 10, have so far realised Tk 1,67,300 in fines till Sunday, said the press release.   Bangladesh witnessed a major dengue outbreak last year that put severe strain on the country’s health care system. As the country struggles with rising number of coronavirus cases, a dengue outbreak at this time like the previous year will come as a devastating blow.