New Delhi, Mar 16 (PTI) The South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) has doubled the fine to Rs 100 if mosquito larvae or congenial conditions for dengue is found in homes under its jurisdiction, officials said on Wednesday.

SDMC Standing Committee chairperson B K Oberoi said if mosquito larvae are found at more than one place or in more than one water container in a household, then the violator will have to pay Rs 100 per container.

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Officials said that the increased amount of fine has been implemented in SDMC area from last week.

Oberoi said that fines for mosquito breeding were not revised since 2017 by the civic body and the recent step has been taken in accordance with a court order which had directed municipal corporations to increase fines and vigil to check dengue menace.

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"We have increased the fine from Rs 50 to Rs 100. The revision in fines has been done to ensure that people follow the norms and do not let mosquito breeding take place at their premises.

"We appeal to the public to keep changing water in coolers, flower pots, containers etc to discourage mosquito breeding," Oberoi told PTI.

According to the civic report on vector-borne diseases released on Monday, a total of 48 dengue cases have been recorded this year till March 12.

For the January 1-March 12 period, five cases were recorded last year, six cases in 2020, three in 2019, nine in 2018 and eight in 2017, according to the report.

The report said last year, 9,613 dengue cases, the highest number of such cases were recorded in the capital in a year since 2015, along with 23 deaths.

Authorities said there was also a proposal to double the fine from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh for mosquito breeding at large construction sites with area above 1,000 square metre but it was not cleared by the civic body.

"We have not increased the fine for any other category, including for large construction sites," Oberoi said.

Oberoi said the civic body will also increase vigil and inspections to check mosquito breeding in their jurisdiction throughout the year.

Earlier, mosquito breeding checking drive used to be conducted during the monsoon between July and October but now it will continue round the year, he said.

Cases of vector-borne diseases are usually reported between July and November, but the period may stretch till mid-December.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)