VIJAYAWADA: Following complaints of rampant mosquito menace received during the ‘Dial Your Commissioner’ programme, the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) has identified 13 localities that are most vulnerable to mosquito breeding in the city.
Special teams have been formed to carry out anti-larval activities at these places in regular intervals.
Meanwhile, the sanitation staff have begun prioritising cleaning efforts at Anjaneya Vagu, Machavaram, Old Rajarajeswari Peta, Madhura Nagar, Bhavanipuram, Krishna Lanka, Ranigarithota, Vambay Colony and Singh Nagar, among others.
They are carrying out PDP survey and fogging and placing oil balls in the drains, VMC officials said.
In all, the civic body spends around `3 crore per annum on anti-larval operations and special drives to prevent mosquito breeding in 59 divisions. “As of now, the corporation is only interested in securing good ranks in Swachh Survekshan-2020, but how can it do so with poor sanitation and heavy mosquito presence across the city,” A Jayalakshmi of Old Rajarajeswari Peta, asked.
“If the VMC aspires to make Vijayawada one of the cleanest cities, then it should accord top priority to combatting mosquito menace,” she added. Meanwhile, in-charge biologist of the civic body Sk Saleem Ahmed urged the residents to clean their water tanks with bleaching powder regularly. “The VMC is aware of the mosquito menace in the city and carrying out fogging and bio-larvicide spraying operation in the 13 vulnerable localities identified,” he explained.
Vulnerable localities
Anjaneya Vagu, Chitti Nagar, Machavaram, Auto Nagar, Ajith Singh Nagar, Madhura Nagar, Kothapet, Durga Agraharam, Krishna Lanka, Old Rajarajeswari Peta, New Rajarajeswari Peta, Vambay Colony, Jakkampudi