KOCHI: The battle scene is set and Kochi is under attack! The enemy force, that outnumbers Kochiites by millions and feasts on human blood, is none other than that of the deadly mosquito!“The climatic condition is perfect for mosquito breeding. The monsoon has left sufficient puddles that act as nurseries for mosquitoes and the clear sky provides them with a warm environment,” said Dr Sachidananda Kammath, former president of Indian Medical Association, Kochi. “Hence, the number of mosquitoes in the city has substantially increased,” he added.While the Corporation claims to have taken measures to bring the mosquito menace under control, residents associations say that no action is seen. “There had been news reports regarding mosquito eradication drives by the local bodies. That is the only thing we know about it. In practice, no such measures are seen in Kochi,” said Rangadasa Prabhu, president, Ernakulam District Residents Association Apex Council (EDRAAC).“Moreover, fogging will not be effective on the long run since mosquitoes become immune to the poison and the only result will be environmental pollution. As a permanent solution, the authorities concerned should look to destroy the breeding grounds by flushing out stagnant water. The problem is growing worse. We are planning to hold talks with the mayor on the issue,” he added.Meanwhile, the Corporation officials said all possible steps to curb mosquito breeding were underway.“The fogging drive which was launched recently is being monitored everyday by health inspectors of the areas concerned. Fogging destroys adult mosquitoes by suffocation whereas hand spraying is done on stagnant water to kill the larvae,” said P K Thampy, Health Supervisor, Kochi Corporation.“Hand spraying is done on a regular basis and is stopped only during the monsoon as the problem of stagnation does not occur during that time. If spraying is done during monsoon, the insecticide would flow off with the water and this might lead to pollution of large water bodies. Around 5-6 anti-mosquito workers are employed in every circle for the spraying work alone,” he added.T K Ashraf, Chairperson, Health Standing Committee, Kochi Corporation, said that the fogging was done after dark as that was when the mosquito menace is at its peak. “That way, the process will cause least discomfort to people. If anybody has a complaint about the fogging drive, they can contact the Health Standing Committee on 2371102,” he added.
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