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THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 1985
HELP ELIMINATE MOSQUITO NUISANCE, PUBLIC URGED
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WITH THE APPROACH OF WARM AND HUMID MONTHS, THE URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT TODAY REMINDED THE PUBLIC OF THE NEED TO ELIMINATE MOSQUITO BREEDING PLACES.
A DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THAT ALTHOUGH AN ANTI-MOSQUITO CAMPAIGN WAS SUCCESSFULLY HELD THROUGHOUT THE URBAN AREAS IN APRIL THIS YEAR, THE PUBLIC MUST BE ON THE ALERT AT ALL TIMES NOT TO GIVE MOSQUITOES ANY CHANCE TO BREED.
PEST CONTROL STAFF OF THE DEPARTMENT WILL CONTINUE TO INSPECT BUILDING SITES, COMMON PARTS OF BUILDINGS, REFUSE BLACK SPOTS, HILLSIDES, STREAMS AND SEEPAGES TO IDENTIFY POTENTIAL BREEDING GROUNDS.
THEY WILL ALSO TAKE SAMPLES OF WATER FOR TESTS, SPRAY LARVICIDAL OIL AND INSECTICIDES, CLEAN UP REFUSE AND JUNK, AND ADVISE THE PUBLIC ON WAYS TO PREVENT THE NUISANCE.
DURING THE FIRST FIVE MONTHS OF THIS YEAR, DISTRICT PEST CONTROL STAFF CARRIED OUT MORE THAN 165 800 INSPECTIONS OF SUCH PLACES. AS A RESULT, SOME 3 100 POTENTIAL BREEDING PLACES WERE FOUND AND DEALT WITH.
IN THE SAME PERIOD, THE DEPARTMENT TOOK OUT 131 PROSECUTIONS AGAINST OFFENDERS RESULTING IN TOTAL FINES OF MORE THAN $141 000.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT MOSQUITOES BREED ONLY IN WATER AND THE BEST WAY TO STOP THEM FROM GROWING IS TO DENY THEM THE CHANCE.
+EMPTY TINS, JARS AND BOTTLES SHOULD BE DISCARDED AND ALL EMPTY RECEPTACLES SHOULD BE STORED IN INVERTED POSITION TO PREVENT ANY ACCUMULATION OF WATER, HE SUGGESTED.
+WATER STORAGE TANKS AND WELLS SHOULD BE COVERED AND CHOKED DRAINS AND ALL DRAIN INLETS SHOULD ALSO BE CLEARED OF REFUSE.+
UNDER THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND URBAN SERVICES ORDINANCE IT IS AN OFFENCE TO ALLOW STAGNANT WATER TO LIE ABOUT THUS PROVIDING BREEDING GROUNDS FOR MOSQUITOES.
OFFENDERS ARE LIABLE TO A MAXIMUM FINE OF $10 000, THE SPOKESMAN WARNED.
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