Salem Corporation imposes fine on two hospitals for having mosquito breeding grounds

SALEM: The Salem Corporation on Sunday penalised five establishments, including two private hospitals and two spinning mills, for having mosquito breeding grounds.
A total of Rs 24.2 5lakh was slapped on these organisations, of which one hospital was fined Rs 10 lakh.
Salem Corporation commissioner R Sadheesh said, “We fined five organisations on Sunday for either obstructing officials of the corporation from inspecting their premises or having mosquito breeding ground.”
Officials of the Salem’s civic body inspected Shanmuga Hospital in Asthampatti area and found that there was stagnated water on the premises which had mosquito larvae.The civic body officials slapped a Rs 2 lakh fine on the hospital. However, hospital authorities obstructed the civic body officials from performing their duties. Following this, corporation commissioner R Sadheesh visited the hospital and inspected the premises.
The hospital premises was found to be unhygienic. Waste was found to be dumped on the premises. “We imposed a Rs 10 lakh fine on the hospital and have issued a severe warning to them,” Sadheesh.
Later, another private hospital -- Saraswathi Hospital -- was inspected. Officials found water-filled plastic buckets and containers on the premises which had larvae in them. The hospital was fined Rs 4 lakh.
Besides this, two spinning mills in Ammapettai were fined Rs 5 lakh each for having breeding grounds.
The Salem Corporation has been inspecting commercial establishments and residences for the past one week to prevent the spread of dengue. It has slapped a total fine of Rs 26.75 lakh on 50 organisations so far. “Besides, we have also disconnected 39 water connections for commercial and residential buildings for resisting inspection of the premises,” said Sadheesh.
The civic body has also referred six cases to the sub-divisional magistrate for causing nuisance to the public.