Mosquito control is not a priority for BBMP, allege residents

Mosquito control is not a priority for BBMP, allege residents

Afshan Yasmeen

Bangalore: With high incidence of chikungunya and dengue being reported in the city, Bangaloreans are getting suspicious about the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike’s (BBMP) mosquito control programme.

They are worried that BBMP officials are taking up only “superficial” mosquito control measures in a few select areas from where cases of the viral diseases are being reported. Though officials claim there is no dearth of funds for the vector-control programme, residents of most areas said they never saw any spraying and fogging operations in their localities.

“It looks as though mosquito control is not a priority for BBMP officials. Though the entire city is having this problem, it is unfortunate that the BBMP has not thought of any planned scientific approach to tackle the menace,” said N.S. Mukund, president of Citizens’ Action Forum.

“We get to hear about the BBMP’s intensive cleaning measures only in the newspapers. We have hardly seen any chemical spraying or fogging activities in our area. Mosquito breeding is on the rise in our area as the Hoskerehalli tank is located close by,” Rajshekara M.N., a resident of Banashankari 3rd Stage, said.

A few concerned citizens, who have observed the spraying and fogging operations in the city, pointed out that the regular spraying of insecticides is found to be ineffective.

BBMP Chief Health Officer L.T. Gayatri Devi said regular spraying and fogging operations were being taken up all over the city. “Mosquito menace cannot be eradicated, it can only be controlled. But lack of community participation is the greatest hitch,” she told The Hindu.