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Down to Earth

Mosquito Menace Returns

By A S M Nurunnabi
The mosquito menace is ' again upon us in the city. Last year the menace assumed dis tressing proportions with no relief in sight. The citizens heaved a sigh of relief when the misery it wrought came to a natural end without the apparent help from any agency
Mosquitoes arc said to have a short life span: about 30 days in ail-15 days in larva stage and 15 days at adult stage. November to February is their breeding season.
According to Dhaka City Corporation sources, the Corporation is more alert to the menace this year. The city has been divided Into 10 zones for the purpose of mosquito Control and an allocation of taka 1 crore has been made id the current year's budget'on this account.
Last year the City Corporation could not initiate timely control programme on account of delay experienced in mobilisation of necessary insecticides. As a result, there was no effective control of mosquitoes at high time. 'Similar delay, though on a reduced scale initially, reportedly also occurred during this year, tn the matter of testing and procurement of pesticides. For this reason, the control operation could not be started before November. The operation Is. however, reportedly going on now In all the 10
zones.
' Some 2465 kilometres of drains and hundreds of ditches and stagnant waler areas arc considered To be the mosquito breeding grounds in 210 sq km area of the city. Two kinds of insecticides arc used: Slcoflying as adulticide and py rofox as larvacide. The City Corporation, in their recent press briefing, stated that in-spllc of the initial delay, they arc now well prepared for the control job. It is understood that the personnel and equipment for the job consist of 300 spraymen, 340 field staff, 600 power and hand sprayers, 3 vehicle mounted and 20 foggcr sprayers.
Along with the Dhaka City Corporation the Mosquito Control Department of the government are the relevant agencies for control of mosquitoes. It is reported that their activities, however, leave much to be desired. Often Ihc lack of co-ordination between two agencies and their dual authorities lead to lack of expeditious and timely action.
As of now. on account of the delayed control programme of the Corporation, no impact is yel felt in providing relief. There is doubt id some quarters that control programme may no I be comprehensive to cover all areas tn a short lime with the result that relief may not be Immediately felt. The Corporation sources, however.
stress that the Corporation's programme can hope for success If It is supplemented with the efforts of citizens to keep their own immediate neighbourhood clean.
Opc factor that poses a big challenge to the efforts of the City Corporation is the existence of the vast expanse of hyacinth-filled water areas In the city, for example on the; cast side of Motijheel and tn the Rampura and Bashabo neighbourhood. There are other networks of big drains and nullahs which seem to be beyond the reach of Corporation's squads spraying insecticides.’ To tackle the situation successfully requires the combined efforts of those who may be owning these low-lying areas. Otherwise ihc efforts for mosquitoes made In other areas are likely to be nullified by the existence of these vast areas of mosquito breeding grounds.
It is not known If the controversy over the desirability of aerial spraying for mosquito control has been resolved in Ils favour at expert level, and if so, when such spraying will be . taken up again by the Corr poration. If control efforts arc not geared up to the "full by all means available during the remaining period of breeding season, the citizens of Dhaka will be exposed to another bout of .suffering from the mosquito menace.