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Mosquito menace out of control


Published : 05 Mar 2021 09:31 PM | Updated : 06 Mar 2021 01:36 AM

The escalating mosquito menace in the capital is getting out of control despite several attempts of by both the city corporations - DNCC and DSCC. 

Mosquito infestation increases during this time of the year with the advent of spring, but this year it has become intolerable, residents around the city said. 

The city dwellers are putting maximum effort to keep the mosquitoes away. “We are using all commercially available mosquito killers and repellants like coils, sprays, electronic vaporizers, mosquito screens throughout the day and nets at night but nothing seems to be working effectively,” said a resident of Gulshan. 

Another resident in Moghbazar said, “I have noticed larvaeciding and fogging in my neighbourhood but soon after their activities the menace of mosquitoes increase again. I doubt use of the correct proportion of the insecticides. Otherwise, at least mosquito population would certainly decline with so many days of spraying and fogging.”

A fellow victim in city’s Agargaon area said, “The fogging seems to be an eye wash to the citizens. Many countries effectively control mosquitoes with fogging and larvaeciding. Why does it not work here? There is massive corruption involved in buying insecticides and as no one protests the corrupt officials of the city corporations continue to fool the citizens.”

The city corporation workers are seen with fogging machines, spraying larvaecides in the drains and breeding areas of mosquitoes. But no fruitful results are being yielded. The inhabitants have also expressed their doubts about the effectiveness of the mosquito repellents. 

In order to control the breeding of mosquitoes, Dhaka North City Corporation launched a mosquito extermination programme along with mobile court operations at the end of February. The city corporations are considering modification in their operation to reduce mosquito menace.  

Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) will launch an area-based 'crash programme' to control mosquito infestation from March 8. Region-based crash program will be conducted in ten regions simultaneously instead of ward-based crash program.

Dhaka South City Corporation is considering the use of different mosquito repellents. They will be using Deltamethrin instead of malathion. “We will determine the proportion of diesel to mix with Deltamethrin after consulting with the experts,” said ABM Amin Ullah Noori, Chief Executive Officer of DSCC. 

He expressed hope about curbing mosquito infestation with this new formula which will be administered soon.