Delhi: Draft Dengue Action Plan proposes higher penalties

Delhi: From proposing increased penalties under the Delhi Municipal Corporation (DMC) Act, 1957 to directing the Jal Board to fix leakages and appointing nodal officers in every private and government office, the draft Dengue Action Plan 2025 outlines these as some of the key measures to deal with mosquito menace.

According to the draft accessed by PTI, a broader Dengue Action Plan 2025 plan is in the works. It aims to tackle mosquito-borne diseases through stricter legal enforcement, intensive surveillance and improved inter-departmental coordination.

The plan proposes an increase in penalties under the amended Section 428 of the DMC Act for premises found breeding mosquitoes.

However, the draft does not mention the proposed fine amount or how much it may be increased.

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As part of the plan, the Education Department will be asked to ensure awareness among schoolchildren through morning assemblies and to develop age-wise curriculum content to be incorporated in textbooks, focusing on the prevention of mosquito-borne diseases.

The Public Health Department will be tasked with regular surveillance for mosquito breeding, issuing challans and legal notices, and coordinating with other departments.

The engineering departments and civic agencies have been directed to design water-tight structures and ensure land levelling to prevent water accumulation.

The Delhi Jal Board (DJB) has been instructed to supply adequate potable water through pipelines across all colonies to discourage unsafe storage practices. It must also prevent leakages and water stagnation at valve chambers and booster stations, while ensuring construction sites remain free of stagnant water, according to the draft.

All government and private offices, including hospitals, will be required to appoint a nodal officer to ensure premises remain breeding-free.

“Like every year, we are preparing this plan to ensure prevention. Awareness is the most important component.

“With basic hygiene and maintenance, we can avoid these diseases — but unfortunately, people often neglect that,” a senior Health Department official said.

He said the Action Plan 2025 is ready and will be released soon.

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“To prevent vector-borne diseases such as malaria, dengue and chikungunya in Delhi, all concerned agencies are required to take preventive measures to eliminate mosquito breeding sources in and around their offices, institutional premises and areas under their jurisdiction.

The civic body, with the help of multiple agencies — including the Public Works Department (PWD), Delhi Police, Irrigation and Flood Control Department, DJB and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) — has intensified efforts to prevent and control the spread of vector-borne diseases ahead of the approaching monsoon season.

According to official data, Delhi reported 11 dengue-related deaths in 2024.

In comparison, 19 deaths were recorded in 2023, nine in 2022, 23 in 2021, and one in 2020.