The Times of India       12.10.2010

Mosquito menace continues

ALLAHABAD: People are exasperated with mosquito menace but Allahabad Municipal Corporation is least bothered to ensure comprehensive fogging in different residential areas of the city. People are forced to rely on mosquito repellents and other household methods to prevent mosquitoes. Cases of malaria and other diseases are daily being reported from various hospitals of the city.

Fogging has been done in some selected pockets of the city and that too was done half-heartedly.

Speaking about the negligent attitude of AMC authorities, one Naushad Ahmad of Badshahi Mandi says, "mosquitoes have become a perennial problem thanks to the insensitivity of AMC authorities towards maintaining sanitation and cleanliness in the city.

He regretted that the unexpected rise in the cases of malaria has necessitated the need to strengthen measures for maintaining sanitation in different localities.

His statement is further substantiated by the pitiable condition of city drains which are rarely cleaned by AMC authorities. Heaps of garbage can be seen overflowing leading to emission of foul odour and breeding of mosquitoes and other infectious bacteria. The negligence of AMC can be seen from the pathetic condition of the different drains flowing in the city. Though tall claims are made by the municipal authorities regarding cleaning of the drains but the fact remains that there are different number of drains which has not been cleaned for the past six or seven years. Further, no one from the department has come to sprinkle chemicals in the drain to control the growth of mosquitoes.

It is pertinent to mention that though there are provisions of hand sprinkling machine in AMC but the health department staff seldom come out to sprinkle chemical in the drains. There are also about 4 large vehicle and 6 small vehicles on which the fogging machines are mounted. These vehicles are utilised for fogging purpose in the city but they are not being used.

On the contrary the AMC officials feel that fogging is not the permanent solution for ensuring freedom from mosquito menace but it somehow controls the proliferation in the number of mosquitoes. But the question is whether the AMC has undertaken adequate fogging to check the mosquito menace, said Ras Bihari a retired bank official.

However, Dr Arun Kumar, health official in Allahabad Municipal Corporation says that fogging in the city cannot be undertaken on a large scale. However, we have started fogging in some portions of the city.