THE KERALA MUNICIPALITY ACT, 1994* - nrcddp

Dangerous Diseases494. Obligation of medical practitioner or owner or occupier of house to reportdangerous disease.— (1) Where any medical practitioner becomes cognizant of the existenceof any dangerous disease in any private or public dwelling (not being a public hospital) in themunicipal area, he shall inform the Secretary with the least practicable delay.(2) The information shall be communicated in such form and with such details as theSecretary may require. 51 | x x x x](3) The Secretary may direct the compulsory communication of information by theowner or occupier of every house within the municipal area during such period to such officeras the Secretary may specify, of all details from or occurrence of, dangerous diseases in hishouse.Explanation.— In this section, medical practitioner shall include a practitioner in ayurveda medicine,sidha medicine, unani, tibbi medicine or homoeopathic medicine.495. Power of entry into suspected places.— The Secretary or the health officermay, at any time, by day or by night and without notice, if it appears reasonable to him inspectany place in which any dangerous disease is reported or suspected to exist and take such measuresas he may think fit to prevent the spread of such disease beyond such place.496. Disinfection of buildings and articles.— (I) Where the Secretary or the healthofficer is of opinion that the cleansing or disinfection of any premises or part thereof, or of anyarticle therein is likely to retain infection, will tend to prevent or check the spread of any dangerousdisease, he may, by notice require the occupier to cleanse or disinfect the same in the mannerand within the time as may be specified in such notice.(2) Where the Secretary or the health officer considers that immediate action is necessary, or thatthe occupier is, by reason of poverty or otherwise, unable effectually to comply with his requisition,the Secretary or the health officer may, without notice cause the premises or the articles to becleansed or disinfected and for this purpose may cause such article to be removed from the premises,and the expenses incurred by the Secretary or the health officer shall be recoverable from the saidoccupier in cases in which he was in the opinion of the Secretary or health officer not unable byreason of poverty to effectually comply with such requisition.497. Provision of places for disinfection and power to destroy infected articles.—(1) The Secretary shall from time to time notify places at which conveyances, clothing, bedding or otherarticles which have been exposed to infection from any dangerous disease shall be washed ordisinfected.(2) The Secretary may direct any clothing, bedding or other articles likely to retain such infection to bedisinfected or destroyed and shall, on demand, give compensation for any article destroyed underthis sub-section.(3) No person shall wash such clothing or bedding or other articles in any place other thanthose set apart for such purpose under sub-section (1).498. Prohibition of transfer of infected articles.— No person shall, without previouslydisinfecting it, give, lend, let, hire, sell, transmit or otherwise dispose of any article which heknows or has reason to believe has been exposed to infection from any dangerous disease:51. The words omitted by Act 14 of 1999, w.e.f. 24-3-1999.