The West Bengal government on Monday directed the districts to immediately clean all dengue hotspots, based on entomological alerts, amid the increase in such cases in the state, officials said.

The state also asked the central government offices in West Bengal to ensure cleanliness along with adequate preventive measures at under-construction projects, including those of the Calcutta Metro, they said.

Strict legal action would be taken against those not following the directions, they added.

Chief Secretary HK Dwivedi chaired a meeting with all district magistrates, the commissioner of the Calcutta Municipal Corporation (CMC) and chief medical officers of health (CMOHs), on the direction of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, over the rise in dengue cases.

"Focused intensive cleaning will be taken up at all the hotspots immediately based on the entomological alerts. Special emphasis will be given to the removal of scrap materials, management of construction sites, closed factory premises and vacant lands," the state government said in a statement.

"Railways and Metro authorities will be requested to take up proper cleaning activities within their premises along with adequate preventive activities at their construction sites," it added.

At the meeting, Dwivedi directed the DMs to convene meetings with councilors of the civic bodies in their districts, and ensure that all the preventive steps are taken.

"Other central government organisations will also be requested to take up intensive cleaning activities within their premises. Cleaning of marketplaces, both in urban and peri-urban areas will be taken up. Legal actions will be initiated against property owners who don’t comply with the dengue preventive measures," the statement said.

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