Allahabad: Notice to 136 house owners to destroy mosquito breeding sites

PRAYAGRAJ: Officials of Prayagraj Municipal Corporation (PMC) have served notices to as many as 136 house owners in different wards of the city in past five days directing them to drain or fill any low places, such as potholes, in and around their residences where water collects, stands and turns breeding ground for mosquitoes (Dengue larvae).
Ironically, the house owner initially refused to accept notices and when PMC authorities started pasting the notice on the walls of houses, they then initiated own efforts to eradicate mosquitoes breeding sites.
The PMC authorities have also found as many as 109 deserted plots in different parts of the city, including low-lying spots on the banks of Ganga where accumulating water had also turned breeding ground. The PMC teams here dragged out water from pits at deserted plots.
PMC’s Nagar Swasthya Adhikari, Dr Abhishek Singh told TOI, “After the outbreak of the dengue cases, the PMC authorities have served notices to a total of 136 house owners in different parts of the city in past five days and asked to take corrective measures to clean water holding areas in and around their residences.”
He, however, claimed majority of house owners had cleaned the water holding areas.
Besides, PMC teams had also cleaned as many as 109 water accumulating/ holding spots being found in deserted plots. Dr Singh, meanwhile, said, “Sincere efforts are being made to find out to eradicate all spots that had turned mosquitoes breeding ground and for that, specially constituted nagar nigam area conducting survey of different wards, particularly those pockets that reported maximum dengue cases in the past 45 days.”
Meanwhile, after the dengue outbreak in city, the health department also surveyed as many as 11, 310 houses between October 5 and 10 and found breeding ground of mosquitoes at 44 places.
Of these 44 places, as many as 21 unused coolers, two fridge defrost trays, 10 unused water tanks on rooftop or ground, 10 drains having sources of stagnant water and, one rotten tyre were found breeding grounds for mosquitoes. The teams then destroyed all sources and asked residents to take corrective measures. District Malaria Officer (Prayagraj) AK Singh told TOI, “Health department has constituted a total of 36 quick response teams (QRTs) to check and eliminate mosquitoes breeding spots in the city. “ “Each QRTs had three members who not only surveyed houses but also destroyed the breeding grounds,” he added.
There were a total seven hot spots, including ADA Colony Naini, Awas Vikas Jhunsi, Phaphamau, Mundera, Sulemsarai and Teliyarganj where maximum breeding sites for mosquitoes were found and destroyed.
DMO, however, said, “Residents should ensure that there should be no accumulation of fresh water in and around their surroundings. He also advised to clean out rain gutters and downspouts on frequent intervals. Clogged gutters are one of the most overlooked breeding sites for mosquitoes around homes.”