Patiala District Administration has virtually washed its hands off the task to control dengue by placing the responsibility and culpability on the residents. Putting a bite on the people, it has decided to impose fine, followed by registration of case if dengue larvae are found from their place on second time.
Patiala, which is the home district of Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, Health Minister Brahm Mohindra and the Local Government Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, has reported maximum 670 positive dengue cases out of over 2500 suspected cases who have undergone the test.
During the previous year too, the district witnessed 2434 cases of dengue, besides two deaths.
Alarmed, the Patiala Deputy Commissioner Kumar Amit on Thursday issued an out-of-the-ordinary order to register a FIR (first information report) against the people where the dengue larvae will be found.
The case, under sections 269 and 270 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), would be registered by Patiala Police against the residents who are found to be second-time defaulters during the inspections conducted by the health department.
Section 269 implies negligent or malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life attracting an imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine, or with both. Section 270 implies malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life attracting imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.
As per the decision, Rs 500 fine will be imposed in case the dengue larva is traced in the precincts of their house or workplace. And in case, the larva is found during the second inspection by the health authorities, the defaulting resident would be booked.
However, the District Administration’s decision has attracted accolades as well as brickbats. “This is insane. The administration is registering cases against the residents, but who is to be hold responsible for the breeding of larvae on roads or open areas...who will be hold accountable for that, and who will be fined or booked for that,” said an irate Darshan Singh, resident of Patiala’s Jujhar Nagar.
Already, Patiala health authorities have declared some areas including Ranjit Nagar, Sidhu Colony, Manjit Nagar, Anand Nagar and others as sensitive.