Mangaluru : The Malaria Control Action Committee of the Mangaluru City Corporation has decided to impose a fine of Rs. 15,000 each on owners of seven under-construction buildings for not adhering to malaria control measures, Mayor Jacinta Vijaya Alfred has said.

The committee met on Friday, she told presspersons on Saturday.

The building sites are Falnir Health Centre on Falnir Road; Falnir Terraces on S.L. Mathias Road; Mak – The Address on Sturrock Road; Kudvas Grandeur in Surathkal, A.J. Institute at Bangra Kulur; Petunia at Shaktinagar, and Alexandria on Light House Hill Road.

She said that 57 multi-purpose health workers of the civic body carried out a 10-day intensive survey of all the 401 under-construction buildings, including 256 multi-storeyed and 145 individual dwelling units across the city from February 5. Out of this, malaria larvae was found breeding in 11 individual and 61 multi-storeyed buildings. Notices were issued to 12 owners including owner of an individual dwelling unit.

Ms. Alfred said that the owners had been instructed to take corrective steps within a week.

The decision to impose fine had been taken after second round of checking of those buildings, she said.

An environmental engineer said there was a provision to recover the fine amount from the caution deposit that builders deposit with civic body at the time of obtaining licence, if they default.

Prakash B. Saliyan, chairman, standing committee on public health, education and social justice, said that against around 60-70 per cent default cases in the past, current surveys put this default rate at 30 per cent.

“Of the 256 multi-storeyed and 145 individual dwelling units, the number of buildings where malarial larvae were breeding was just 61 and 11, respectively,” Mr. Prakash said.