The Pioneer 03.09.2010
Staff Reporter | Bhopal
At a time when the State capital is battling with at least three epidemic outbreaks, only three of over a dozen of fogging machines available with Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) are being used in the city.
Swine flu, conjunctivitis and dengue have claimed over 10 lives within the last few days, but BMC — the civic body responsible for lifting waste, spraying and fumigation activities in vulnerable areas, seems to be unaware about the situation.
The fogging machines that are used to curb multiplying of viruses in the urban areas have been found to be missing from the city at a time when residents are in the grip of various seasonal epidemics, apart from the deadly swine flu virus.
When The Pioneer inquired on status and availability of fogging machines, officials revealed that BMC was in possession of over a dozen fogging machines in its store.
Although, the information pertaining to having total fogging machine vehicles might not be untrue, of the total number of machines, barely three of them are being used by the BMC.
This information was shared by workers of the corporation store situated at Mata Mandir. Further, services of available machines also have been restricted to VIP areas alone. For instance on Thursday, the machines were reserved for fogging in Shyamla Hills area _ the habitat of a number of politicians including those belonging to the ruling party as well as leaders of the Opposition.
Similarly, Char Imli and 74-Bungalow are the remaining two places where one can spot fogging machines being used regularly while apart from that residents of remaining localities of all 70 wards of the BMC should consider themselves fortunate if they could spot fogging machines even a few times a year.
MK Trivedi, an engineer of the BMC, who looks after sewage-related works of the Corporation told The Pioneer that the route chart of the fogging machines was decided in advance.
Citing unavailability of information, he refused to list the total number of running fogging machines available with the BMC.
However, senior officials pleading anonymity conceded that fogging and spraying activities were concentrated in posh localities and important intersections.
