With dengue cases rising to record levels in the last few years, the Karnataka government has amended the law to notify the disease as an epidemic disease. The amendment was published in the gazette on August 23.
The declaration of dengue as an epidemic disease under the Karnataka Epidemic Diseases Act, 2020 will empower the state government to take stringent measures to control the spread of dengue. As of September 2, the state saw 25,408 cases of dengue and 12 deaths.
The government has also amended the Karnataka Epidemic Diseases Regulations, 2020, and introduced penalties for non-compliance with regulations aimed at curtailing mosquito breeding sites in residential, commercial, and construction areas.
Under the new regulations, all property owners, occupiers, builders, and individuals in charge of land, buildings, water tanks, parks, and playgrounds will be required to implement mosquito prevention measures. These include covering water storage containers, properly disposing of solid waste to prevent water accumulation, and ensuring that unused tanks, pits, and even buildings under construction do not collect water.
The regulations apply to both private and public properties, and the competent authority – either the Chief Commissioner of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) or the Deputy Commissioner of the district – is authorised to inspect properties and enforce rules. Inspections can be conducted between sunrise and sunset, and property owners must facilitate the inspection process.
If mosquito breeding sites are found, the authority can issue a notice requiring the violators to eliminate the breeding grounds within a specified timeframe, which cannot be less than 24 hours.
Failure to comply will result in fines of Rs 400 for mosquito breeding in urban residential areas and Rs 200 in rural areas. For commercial establishments, offices, schools, colleges, residential facilities, healthcare facilities, and restaurants, the penalty is Rs 1,000 in urban areas and Rs 500 in rural areas. Construction sites and abandoned or vacant areas will incur a fine of Rs 1,000 in both urban and rural areas. Continued non-compliance will result in a 50% increase in the penalty for each week after the notice is served.