New buildings in city may need vector control steps

All new buildings coming up in the national capital may soon be required to obtain an additional “occupancy certificate” (OC) clearing the structures for several anti-mosquito measures on the premises, according to several officials familiar with the matter and documents seen by HT.

As per a gazette notification by the Delhi government in October that made dengue, malaria and chikungunya notifiable diseases under the Epidemic Diseases Act, municipal health officers have been designated as the new controlling authority in this regard for all new buildings, both commercial and residential, and have been empowered to issue the occupation certificates.

The decision comes at a time when cases of dengue — a vector-borne disease that impacts the city every year — are on the rise. Delhi’s dengue tally crossed the 2,000 mark on Monday, and civic bodies have reported a total of 2,708 cases till November 8 this year.

The trend puts the 2021 outbreak on course to eclipse the one in 2018, when the city recorded 2,798 cases. The death toll, 9, is now the highest since 2017, when 10 people died of the infection. Delhi reported its worst dengue outbreak in 2015, when 16,000 people were infected and at least 60 died of the disease, according to official records.

The new regulations, signed by Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal last month, state: “No person shall occupy a new building (government, semi-government or private) unless an occupation certificate is obtained from the controlling officer of the respective local body regarding the requirement of anti-mosquito systems in such premises.”

A senior public health official from the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) said that detailed guidelines for builders and building owners will be issued soon. “There are several such provisions in the regulations issued in Daman and Diu (in 2016) as well as Goa, and they are being studied to formulate the Delhi guidelines,” an official involved in the process said on condition of anonymity.

A second official said that regulations such as a prescribed minimum slope level on roofs to prevent water stagnation, and mosquito proofing of water tank covers and drains connecting water sources, among others, will be standardised based in the guidelines in line with the gazette notification issued by the Delhi government.

Public health officials said that the developers will have to make the necessary changes in line with the anti-mosquito measures, without which the building cannot be legally occupied.

So far, buildings in Delhi must have a “completion certification” — a mandatory legal document which attests that a new building has been constructed, and completed according to fire safety norms and regulations of the Buildings Act. This certificate is awarded only if the local bodies are satisfied that the building has been constructed according to the approved building plan and unified building by-laws (UBBL) standards have been met.

While existing buildings are not covered by the new occupancy certificate, officials said it remains the responsibility of owners or occupiers to ensure that there are no conditions conducive for mosquito breeding in the premises. While the new notification states that “no person shall maintain any collection of water in which mosquitoes breed”, there are existing provisions of issuing challans and legal notices if such conditions are found in the premises.

A third SDMC public health official said that the buildings which have a sump well or overhead tank should have a mosquito-proof arrangement.

“In many cases, we notice that the covers are inadequate to prevent mosquito breeding, and they are be easily dislodged. Overhead tanks are also an important source of mosquito breeding in vulnerable areas,” the official said.

A 2018 analysis by the public health department found that the domestic water storage containers constituted 33% of the mosquito breeding sites detected by the domestic breeding checkers.

“The guidelines will also incorporate the minimum slope level to prevent water stagnation and the designs of sunshades or porticos to minimise mosquito breeding sites. There should be a minimum number of drain outlets based on the catchment areas and netting can be mandated in case of water source that is open to sky,” the third official added.

The notification also attempts to deal with the problem of residents not allowing the civic officials to check the mosquito breeding sites on their premises. “For the purpose of enforcing provisions of these regulations, the inspecting officer may enquire and inspect… any land or building and the occupier of building shall give all facilities necessary for such entry and inspection,” the notification states.

It proscribes the obstruction, and says it can be treated as an offence under section 188 of Indian Penal Code.

Meanwhile, builder groups welcomed the move even but said there should be safeguards to ensure it doesn’t become another bureaucratic hurdle.

Pankaj Bajaj, the president of Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Association of India (NCR chapter), said that the developers have no in-principal objection.

“We would welcome any move that is good for public but the necessary conditions should be incorporated within the existing framework of by-laws so that we don’t need a separate approval step. Enough public consultation should be carried out in this regard,” he said.

Sunil Vohra, who heads Delhi Municipal Contractors Association, also said that the new occupancy certificate may become a harassment tool.