Boom time for rodent control services

Private pest control firms benefit from BBMP’s paralysis

Bangalore 02/06/2012 : Its rats all over. Houses, Offices, fields and drains. Thay are in plenty and they have plenty eat and survive in Bangalore as garbage and food wast are dumped in the drains. They are not scared and move arround in day time itself. Photo: K_Gopinathan

As the garbage grew bigger and bigger, health experts and doctors started talking about hazards of disease-spreading rodents and mosquitoes. As a result of this, private pest control services in the city report an increase in business over the last few months.

Sunil Rajagopal, who owns a private pest control agency, said he has seen a 25 to 30 per cent increase in his business over the last four months. He pointed out that the inability of the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to tackle the garbage situation had led to uncontrolled breeding of rodents. “Garbage is food for rodents and there is garbage lying all over the city.”

K. Pal, also a private pest control agent, said he has seen a 100 to 150 per cent increase in business over the last few months. If four months ago he would receive around 20 calls a day from customers, now it is an average 40.

Two methods

There are two measures for rodent control.

The first is poison baiting, where poison is mixed with food particles and placed in areas where garbage has accumulated. The second is mainly for internal areas where rodents are trapped using specially designed boxes.

Mr. Pal also mentioned that the cost of the rodent control programme depends on the size of the area. “Rodent control programme for a month would cost Rs.1,500 for a 30 x 40 ft site.”

Mathew Jacob, who specialises in pest control measures only for commercial establishments, said that he has seen an increase in demand for not only rodent control measures but also for mosquitoes and cockroach control services.

A long haul

Sathish Sundar Murthy, who lives in Kanakanagar, says he spent Rs.1,500 on a rodent control programme. He believes there is a need to take up such pre-emptive measures for a longer period of time in order to tackle the rodent menace effectively. “Three months ago, there were at least 10 to 12 rodents around my house. Now after three months of rodent control measures, I can already spot two. But there is a need to repeat the exercise for months as things cannot change overnight.”