Eradicating mosquito menace

Khalilur Rahman | Published: March 13, 2011 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00

Khalilur Rahman
Mosquito menace in Dhaka city has assumed an alarming proportion causing utmost sufferings to the residents. For quite a long time the Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) appears to be indifferent to eradicate the tiniest creatures. The only DCC activity against the mosquitoes was noticeable ahead of ICC Cricket World Cup (WC) in the middle of last month. The DCC was found engaged in an exercise to wipe out mosquitoes from, in and around the two stadiums at Mirpur and Paltan for the comfort of WC spectators and players. The DCC deployed special squads with spray guns to eradicate mosquitoes around two stadiums for hosting the opening ceremony and six world cup matches. The chief of DCC health department Brigadier General Nasir Uddin admitted that the mosquitoes have been breeding in an alarming proportion for the last several months. The DCC has, therefore, taken special measures to kill mosquitoes in the two stadiums and around three-kilometre areas of each of those. Nasir Uddin told the media that DCC teams, each headed by an officer, were assigned to spray extensively in all the open spaces, drains, ponds and sewer lines to ensure that no mosquito can breed. He asserted that this would create a mosquito-free environment for WC spectators. He also said the areas near hotels would also be sprayed. The DCC step to ensure eradication of mosquitoes in and around two stadiums ahead of the World Cup, the biggest event that Bangladesh has hosted since independence, is welcome. But the city dwellers who are under constant attacks by mosquitoes should also get redress. The menace exists in all parts of the capital city. The worst sufferers are those who live near water bodies, drains or in narrow roads. The students, particularly the candidates appearing at the ongoing SSC examinations, have become the worst victims of mosquito bite. Most of them are using anti-mosquito coils or repellents and nets. But the poor people who can't buy coils or nets, suffer silently. The DCC on its part could do nothing during autumn, the breeding season of mosquitoes. A DCC health official said shortage of larvicide hampers mosquito eradication programme. They also blame lack of coordination among the government departments in this regard. DCC Mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka complained that the water bodies in the city could not be cleaned and larvicide sprayed on those in the absence of a coordinate effort. Moreover, he said the government agencies, such as environment, fisheries and plant protection, have asked DCC not to use some otherwise effective larvicides. There are many areas which do not fall under the jurisdiction of DCC but serve as the ideal breeding grounds for mosquitoes. The influx of mosquitoes from those places to DCC areas have further aggravated the problem. A report published in a local daily last week says that despite required stock of larvicide available at the disposal of DCC, the drive against mosquitoes remains suspended for the last one year. The DCC allocates a large sum of money every year for eradication of mosquitoes. During the current financial year (2010-11) there has been an allocation of Taka 160 million in DCC budget for mosquito eradication. Out of this Taka 115 million has been allocated for the larvicide, Taka 20 million for spray machines and the rest for cleaning city's water bodies and other purposes. The press report also says the cleaning of city's water bodies was not carried out by the DCC for the last one year. Spraying of larvicide in drains and ditches also remains stopped. With regard to suspension of anti-mosquito drive, a DCC official says that the concerned department has lost interest in the task after Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed cases against 16 DCC officials on charge of misappropriation of mosquito control fund. The concerned officials refrained from launching anti-mosquito drives since then. A DCC health official admitted the fact saying that the anti-mosquito programme lost its momentum after the ACC's action. He, however, said that drive against mosquitoes has now been undertaken in ten zones of the city simultaneously. Whatever may be the reasons, the suspension of anti-mosquito drive by DCC is not acceptable to the taxpayers as the Corporation has larvicide at its disposal and also required fund for the campaign. (E-mail: khalilbdh@gmail.com)