Hyderabad: The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) Entomology Department has initiated a comprehensive special sanitation drive across key water bodies in the city. To ensure effective cleaning, heavy machinery, including floating weed-harvesting machines, has been deployed, with multiple trucks sanctioned by the civic body to promptly transport cleared waste and prevent its accumulation at the site.

This extensive sanitation effort is currently underway across prominent water bodies within the Karwan constituency, aiming to address rising concerns about water pollution and the proliferation of mosquito-borne diseases, particularly during the impending monsoon season. According to Karwan MLA Kausar Mohiuddin, sanitation activities are being carried out at significant locations, including the historic Katora Houz, various water bodies in the Golconda area, the Musi River along the Karwan stretch, Langar Houz HUDA Pond, and Shah Hatim Lake.

Mohiuddin stated that “to ensure effective cleaning, as many as six Hitachi machines along with floating weed-harvesting machines are clearing the water bodies in a phased manner, with water hyacinth and other aquatic weeds choking these bodies having been removed.” The deployment of this heavy machinery to clean the water bodies came following a representation from AIMIM.

Additionally, drone technology is being utilised to spray mosquito larvicidal oil over the water surfaces. Mohiuddin explained that “this is a preventive measure to control mosquito breeding and mitigate the risk of diseases like dengue and malaria, as various areas located near these water bodies are facing severe mosquito menace.” The MLA has been personally monitoring the progress of the drive to ensure that public health and sanitation standards are maintained across the constituency.

Furthermore, to ensure overall cleanliness and curb the spread of infectious diseases during the monsoon season, sanitary workers have been engaged in collecting, lifting, and transferring garbage from different parts of the city. A special drive is being conducted in various circles to clear long-accumulated garbage spots, deploying considerable numbers of earth movers, transport vehicles, and manpower for this intensive cleaning programme. This sanitation drive will cover key flood-prone zones with special attention to garbage clearance, drain desilting, and fogging activities to control vector-borne diseases. Last week, during an inspection, GHMC Commissioner R V Karnan emphasised that collaboration between community members and political leaders in the respective regions is essential for the drive’s success.