The Hindu 06.03.2013
Corporation rushes to net mosquito menace
In a hurry to cope with mosquito menace in the city, the
Chennai Corporation has called for expression of interest from
manufacturers to facilitate distribution of free mosquito nets to poor
residents living along the city’s waterways.
Lakhs of
mosquito nets will soon be distributed to residents free of cost.
According to a press release on Tuesday, the Corporation has invited
expression of interest for manufacture of polyethylene mosquito nets,
with a minimum mesh count of 156 (156 holes per square inch).
The holes in netting with this mesh count are usually neither round nor square, and may be quite irregular in shape and size.
They have a diameter of about 2 mm and provide an effective barrier to most Anopheles mosquitoes.
The
nets supplied will prevent vector entry and have dimensional stability
after washing. Made with strong netting materials and seams, they will
retain their strength over many years and ensure safety for users.
The
Corporation Council recently passed a resolution to distribute mosquito
nets to residents along16 minor and major waterways including the Cooum
and Adyar rivers and the Buckingham Canal.
According
to health department officials, the initiative is likely to prove the
most cost-effective way of battling mosquito menace in an
environment-friendly manner. People who cannot afford repellents are
likely to benefit from this scheme.
The move followed reports that fogging operations were not effective in tackling mosquitoes in some areas.
The
civic body has been on the lookout for better technology to control the
malaria-causing Anopheles and dengue-causing Aedes species of
mosquitoes.