Poor drainage was the primary cause for proliferation of mosquitoes in the city, said a large number of Residential Welfare Association (RWA) representatives at a meeting held by the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation here on Friday.
While some RWA representatives showed a very poor understanding of the link between mosquitoes and the different types of vector-borne diseases, a majority of them felt that poor drainage in their areas was the cause for the mosquito problem.
The representative of the Balajinagar RWA said that the area had no mosquito problem before work on the Underground Drainage System (UGD) began in the colony. Several puddles formed in the incompletely filled trenches dug up for the UGD had become breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
Useful interaction
In an exercise that proved useful to the municipal authorities, the RWA representatives listed the various places where water-logging was seen and steps needed to be taken by to reduce mosquitoes.
A woman representative of the Kabela area said the residents of colonies in the area had to put up with mosquitoes round the year. The colonies become water-logged at the slightest rain and water enters the community hall at Rotary Nagar.
Vijayawada Central MLA Malladi Vishnu said maximum number of high-risk areas was in his constituency because of Budameru and the three canals transecting it.
He urged the corporation to step up anti-larval measures in low-lying areas. He said citizens could call toll-free number 1800-425-9199 to bring to his notice problems in his Assembly constituency.
Vijayawada West MLA Vellampalli Srinivas wanted corporation to take steps that low-lying areas in his constituency did not became breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
VMC CMHO Satyanarayana Raju presided over the meeting.
