To prevent outbreak of water-borne diseases like malaria, dengue and chikungunya in the city, the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) recently launched an awareness campaign for citizens. Through pamphlets, the civic body has listed guidelines for residents of apartments, housing societies and colonies making them cautious about all possible mosquito breeding grounds in houses as well as open spaces. Failure to comply with these guidelines could invite penalty.
Residents have been asked to change stored water in tray of refrigerators, air-conditioners and air coolers on a regular basis, as stagnant water leads to breeding of mosquitoes.
Fresh water has to be pumped into fish tanks, aquariums, waterfalls, fountains and swimming pools every third day and the base of all these needs to be thoroughly cleaned, as per the guidelines notified by the health department of SMC.
All outlets from water tanks are to be covered properly by cotton cloth to prevent any entry of mosquitoes. Inside homes, water drums and other containers are also to be kept covered. All flower pots inside residences and elsewhere in apartments are to be kept fully filled with soil, so that no water can get stored at the upper level, and no tray should be kept beneath a flower pot.
Further, no scarp or waste material should be stored in basement or parking areas of apartments, row houses, residential societies and colonies.
