Deccan Chronicle 27.01.2010

Mosquitoes top civic woe in Chennai

Jan. 26: Chennai is now witnessing a spurt in mosquitoes and complaints are pouring in from Mylapore, Velachery, Sowcarpet, Vadapalani and Choolai. According to sources in Ripon Buildings, more than 60 per cent of the complaints received by the corporation grievance cell (1913) is confined to unchecked mosquito menace and sewer blocks. As usual, the labour-dominated north Chennai is the worst affected and the city corporation is fighting a lonely, losing battle against mosquitoes, sources said.

The major reason for the unchecked mosquito breeding is canal water, stormwater drains and sewage. Though fumigation and fogging are carried out on a daily basis, the mosquito menace continues to be a nagging problem in Chennai, a senior corporation official said.

“Children and elders in our locality are spending sleepless nights and the corporation’s fogging operations hardly bring any respite,” says Ms E. Lakshmi, a resident of Vadapalani.

However, health officials maintained that the mosquito density in city was under control. According to corporation health officer, Dr P. Kuganantham, the corporation has identified 120 spots that are prone to mosquito breeding and severe anti-larvicide measures are taken up in these areas on a daily basis. A recent survey indicated mosquito density as 56 ten-man hour, but a similar survey done last week showed that larvae density dipped to 24 ten-man hour, he said.

In fact, the city corporation also recently roped in corporation school students as health ambassadors to campaign for mosquito control measures in their locality, such as identifying stagnant water pools and destroying the breeding sources, but nothing has helped eradicate mosquitoes.