Pune: PMC survey finds dengue breeding sites at 24 hospitals

While municipal health authorities have refrained from disclosing names of the hospitals, they said that warning notices have been issued to the authorities to ensure cleaning and elimination of the breeding sites.

Pune Municipal Corporation, PMC, dengue, mosquito breeding, pune, indian express news

The survey showed that breeding sites were found mainly in the water tank at hospital terraces, and discarded plastic buckets, said PMC health officials. (Representational image)

Some of the major hospitals in the city have come under the scanner of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) after civic officials found potential breeding sites for mosquitoes, which can cause dengue, at these hospitals. Preliminary results of an ongoing survey have already found dengue breeding sites at 24 such hospitals across Kasba Peth, Aundh, Warje, Fergusson College Road, Parvati , Dhankawadi, Kothrud and Vishrantwadi.

While municipal health authorities have refrained from disclosing names of the hospitals, they said that warning notices have been issued to the authorities to ensure cleaning and elimination of the breeding sites. “During the second round of our survey, we will start levying hefty fines if we find any breeding sites,” said Dr Kalpana Baliwant, in-charge of the insect control department at PMC.

“Smaller dispensaries will have to take a cue from the action that is underway at large hospitals and ensure that there are no potential mosquito breeding sites on their premises,” said Baliwant, adding, “There are 17 civic run hospitals and 52 outpatient dispensaries run by the PMC. Notices were sent to officers after mosquito breeding sites were found at 34 of these places”.

The PMC also wants to rope in the Indian Medical Association and General Practitioners Association to create awareness about eliminating breeding sites. The survey showed that breeding sites were found mainly in the water tank at hospital terraces, and discarded plastic buckets, said PMC health officials.

From June 19 till August 10, the insect control department of the PMC has slapped as many as 4,759 notices on construction sites, private properties and residences; fines to the tune of Rs 1.8 lakh have been collected during this period. “We found a majority of the breeding sites at 11,057 private properties,” said Baliwant.

“Dengue is endemic in the city. From January till now, there have been 601 suspected cases of dengue. At least 148 are confirmed dengue cases while another 143 are positive for chikungunya,” said PMC health officials.

Not many takers for indoor vector control programme

According to health officials, several Puneites were reluctant to cooperate with them and did not permit them to inspect their homes as part of a drive to check dengue cases. “ It is only when an outbreak occurs that residents allow us to inspect their homes,” said a PMC health official.

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. ``Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) "Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. ``At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure "For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. ``Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. X (Twitter): @runaanu ... Read More

Click here to join Express Pune WhatsApp channel and get a curated list of our stories

Tags:
Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC)