Combating mosquito menace

The bifurcated Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) seems to be indifferent to the need for eradicating mosquitoes. For the last few months mosquito menace has assumed an alarming proportion much to the sufferings of the city dwellers.
This tiny creature has spread its wings to every locality. All the anti-mosquito gadgets -- coils, spray, chemically-treated nets, electric bats etc. -- at the disposal of the residents have been proved ineffective. In many places people are forced to use nets and coils even during the day time.
Activities of the anti-mosquito squads from Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) and Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) are hardly noticeable. Press reports say both the city corporations maintain required number of staff in each ward to conduct drives against mosquitoes.
 Despite adequate allocation of fund, necessary staff strength and equipment to eradicate mosquitoes under 10 regional offices, the DNCC and DSCC have failed to accomplish the task. Quoting chief health officer of DNCC, a local national daily has reported recently that they use larvicide to kill larva and adulticide against flying mosquitoes. There is allegation that adulticide is ineffective against mosquito. Larvicide works to some extent.
The DNCC chief health officer told the Bangla daily that they are planning to get the adulticide tested in a laboratory to ascertain the reason behind its ineffectiveness. On the
other hand, chief executive officer of DSCC said that the corporation was conducting anti-mosquito spray regularly under a crash programme. But mosquito eradication can't be achieved by the city corporation alone. He advised that in order to prevent mosquito breeding, the residents should keep their courtyards and nearby bushes clean.
According to a city corporation estimate, there are more than 500 water bodies within the municipal limits. Both the corporations have not taken any concerted efforts to clean such water bodies which are ideal grounds for breeding mosquitoes.
In addition to this, most of the residents throw garbage everywhere which remains piled up where mosquitoes breed. In city's Gulshan lake and adjacent water bodies there are luxuriant growth of water hyacinths. Mosquitoes are found there in billions. The city corporation is assigned to keep the water bodies clean. There is allocation of fund for the corporations to maintain those properly.
A fundamental question that agitates public mind relates to wisdom behind splitting the DCC. It is now evident that the citizens' hope for better civic amenities under the split Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) remains largely unfulfilled yet.
More frustrating is the fact that the taxpayers do not exactly know to whom they would seek redress for their grievances. The divided corporations are run by unelected administrators. They are appointed after every six months to lead the corporations and provide public service for nearly 15 million population.
Three years ago, the DCC was bifurcated for providing, as per government announcement, improved civic amenities to the townspeople. The decision to divide the DCC was taken at a cabinet meeting in October, 2011 with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair through an amendment to the Local Government (City Corporation) Act, 2009.
At the time of splitting DCC the government vowed to hold the election to the corporations within 90 days. Administrators were appointed to run the DCC (North) and DCC (South).
During this long period since bifurcation the polls were not held for many complications including absence of updated voters' list. It is still uncertain when the elections to two city corporations would take place.
The result is more sufferings for the city dwellers because of unelected people running these vital civic bodies.
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