Rashtrapati Bhavan gets 52 notices from NDMC

The sprawling President’s Estate has become a breeding ground for mosquitoes and as many as 52 notices have been slapped on it by the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC). The notices were issued January onwards by NDMC after mosquito larvae were found at many places dotting the 320-acre estate.

With the capital reporting many dengue cases, the NDMC has decided to control the mosquito menace, including in the President’s Estate. “We have issued 52 notices to various complexes and residential quarters in the Presidential Estate. We had formed teams to inspect the Rashtrapati Bhavan premises, which then spotted mosquitogenic conditions,” a senior NDMC official said.

The teams included members from the sanitation and horticulture units at Rashtrapati Bhavan, and the civil engineering unit under the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) and personnel of the malaria unit of the NDMC health department. Last year, NDMC had issued over 125 notices to the President’s Estate after “heavy” mosquito breeding was found at various places on its sprawling campus. Advisories have been issued to more than 50 embassies that fall in the NDMC area to be active in controlling breeding of mosquitoes. The NDMC official said the civic body does not have the authority to issue challan or serve notice to embassies.

Regarding government offices and residential colonies, the official said if after inspection, the premises are found to be positive for mosquito breeding, then notices are served. Safdarjung Hospital, the Delhi Golf Club, Shivaji Stadium and Akashwani Bhawan are among the 146 buildings challaned by the civic body this season.