The Times of India        29.09.2010

Bandra-Khar residents and BMC team up to swat mosquito menace

Bandra and Khar residents' associations have joined hands with BMC to control the menace of dengue and malaria by carrying out inspection of building premises and conducting random checks of flats in suburbs.

Launching the drive, additional municipal commissioner Manisha Patankar-Mhaiskar said, "Although malaria cases have reduced considerably, we are not letting our guard down. Initiative on the behalf of citizens does make a huge difference to our efforts as residents are under the impression that breeding sites are far away and not in our premises." Mhaiskar said that phases I and II of BMC's anti-malaria drive focused on slums and under- construction sites. "In Phase III, building premises will be covered, for which cooperation of residents is essential.''

The pest control drive was kicked off at a meeting organised by Union Park Residents' Association (UPRA) and Senior Citizens' Advanced Locality Management Association (SALMA) at YMCA. The drive will cover constiuencies of all the corporators falling under the H-West ward.

Bharati Kakkad, secretary, UPRA, said, "Accompanied by BMC officials, we will carry out inspection of overhead tanks to ascertain whether they are mosquito-proof and find out if they are a potential breeding site. Moreover, random checks of flats will be carried out as sometimes even flower pots can be a source of mosquitoes causing malaria or dengue."

This apart, the UPRA has also carried out intensive awareness on their community radio station. It has already distributed pamphlets on do's and don'ts . Kavita Rodricks, local corporator, said, "This is not sting operation, but an effort to spread awareness."