Hyderabad: Outside coronavirus, inside mosquitoes

Hyderabad: Presently, the nation is facing the grave threat of the second wave of corona virus. With people confined within four walls of their homes after 9 pm with night curfew in force, mosquitoes are having a free run by making life difficult for most of the city's residents.

With people of Hyderabad already suffering due to the menace of mosquitoes spread across the city, it is being learned that as the monsoon is going to start in the first week of June when mosquito menace will reach its peak.

Earlier, certain areas in the city, including Tolichowki, Golconda, Shaikpet and Khairatabad, Malakpet, and other nearby areas situated on the banks of the Musi river were breeding ground for mosquitoes but now with a large number of complaints of mosquito menace from areas like Charminar, Shahali Banda, Purani Haveli, Darulshifa and even from the northern part include Secunderabad, Jeedimetla and Balanagar being registered at the municipal corporation.

Weather experts have found that the coming monsoon will be more difficult for the citizens. "Compared to previous years data, the mosquito menace has been rising every year in Hyderabad, for the monsoon 2021 is likely to thrive in the city amid Covid-19 pandemic. Citizens should start preparing to take necessary measures to prevent malaria, dengue, and other vector-borne diseases," said a weather forecast expert Vinod Kumar.

However, this year the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has prepared an action plan for mosquito prevention. An officer from the Entomology Wing of the GHMC, Rajani Rana told The Hans India about steps to be taken to curb the mosquito menace in the city.

"Special focus will be on the localities close to lakes and areas situated on the banks of the Musi River to control the mosquitoes menace in the city. One of the measures the GHMC will be focusing on is the 21-km stretch all along Musi, starting from Bapu Ghat to Nagole. The Musi flows through four zones, Khairatabad, Charminar, LB Nagar, and Secunderabad, consisting of 14 divisions," said Rajani Rana.

Further, the official told that to take up the anti-larva operations (ALO) along the Musi, special units having 2,412 entomology workers in the GHMC will be formed, headed by two Assistant Entomologists under the supervision of two senior entomologists' who will monitor ALO operations.

Moreover, for spraying along Musi a special drone will be pressed into service along with six mounted fogging machines. Furthermore, 15 portable fogging machines would be allotted to take up fogging in surrounding areas of Musi.

The wing will also drop oil balls in dirty water and there will be a release of Gambusia fish in all baby ponds and fresh stagnated water in the city.

"The GHMC will be cooperating with the Musi River Front Development Corporation as desilting works will be initiated with 15 JCBs, two Phanta machines that would enable free flow of water. With these measures, breeding of mosquitoes will be reduced substantially," ensured GHMC's Entomologists.

In the civic body, there will be a total of 2,412 entomology workers for anti-larva operations, 1,919 of them will be entomology staff, 342 for fogging operations, 114 that will function as special manpower, 30 Assistant Entomologists, and six entomologists. "There will be a total of 125 units and each unit will consist of 19 workers covering above one lakh houses daily," said the official.

Simultaneously, to curb the spread of mosquito menace and to kill mosquitoes the GHMC will bring in mosquito killer machines at Jiyaguda, Bapu Ghat, Laxminagar Colony, and Chanderghat. Each killer machine affects the surrounding area of one kilometer to attract and kill mosquitoes. Areas along Musi and localities that are mosquito prone, will have these machines.

Plus, the GHMC will be conducting a special drive of anti-larval operations where there is a scope of heavy breeding sources.