KOCHI: Of the many issues Kochiites battle on a daily basis, mosquito menace takes the cake. From December till May, most people spend their valuable resources and energy fighting off the swarm of mosquitoes that blanket the city. So debilitating is the menace that crores of rupees are being spent on mosquito repellents by the over 21 lakh residents.
When mosquitoes take over once again -- the rise in dengue cases is a clear indication -- Kochi Corporation is groping in the dark. As the civic body mulls over entrusting the mosquito eradication project with a private agency, a suggestion made by opposition leader K J Antony, many think no eradication drive will yield result unless the basic issue of sewage and waterlogging is resolved.
According to Health Standing Committee chairperson Prathibha Ansari, the civic body will study the issue before roping in a private agency for mosquito eradication. “A suggestion was put forth and discussions are being held. Many members are not in favour of the move. So, we need to hold discussions before presenting the suggestion at the council meeting. This will take some time. As of now, with fogging proving futile, we are depending on power spray machines to eradicate mosquitoes,” said the chairperson.
Decade-old solution
Opposition leader Antony says a scientific study is the need of the hour. “We should bring in a team of experts and study the demography of the city and the current state of water bodies, including canals and drains, before roping in a private agency. How can one expect results when we use the same chemical for the past two decades? Mosquitoes would have already developed resistance to that. Also, the fact that the same company has been providing the chemicals for decades sounds dubious,” he said.
He added the corporation’s use of power spray machines to counter the shortage of employees will yield no results. “They are using the same chemicals, which bring it back to square one. Also, many machines are dysfunctional at the moment, another evidence of the official apathy,” said Antony. The opposition leader feels that Kochi should follow the path of other states in mosquito eradication.
Root causes
While eradication drives go on as charted, former mayor K J Sohan thinks the main hindrance in getting Kochi rid of mosquito menace is its lack of a proper drainage. “We don’t have a proper draining system. There are drains all over the city which are not interconnected and hence there is no water flow, providing the perfect breeding ground of mosquitoes. Unless we resolve the issue of waterlogging, no amount of private participation or chemical use will solve the problem,” said Sohan.
As for a scientific study, Sohan thinks the report submitted by the Vector Control Unit of India in the mid-1990s is still accountable. “The team under the Indian Medical Association did a detailed study in 1995. We just need to follow it,” he added.
No officials
Sohan thinks the lack of a dedicated health officer with proper know-how of things is a reason for the corporation’s inability to control mosquito menace. “We need people with power who can take steps and remove hindrances at the grassroot level. Kochi Corporation lacks it,” says Sohan.