In the past few days, there has been a sudden increase in mosquitoes in the city and surrounding areas. Residents from areas such as Vyasarpadi, Moolakothalam, T.Nagar and Thiruvanmiyur have been complaining about the mosquito menace in the context of the recent rain, uncleared garbage and water stagnating in stormwater drains aided the breeding of mosquitoes.
V.S.Jayaraman, a resident of Motilal Street in T.Nagar, said that a lot of garbage was found in the unfinished stormwater drains, which often became breeding grounds for mosquitoes. “Garbage is being cleared once in three days and waste attracts mosquitoes and flies.”
Lalitha Mohanan, a teacher in a private school at Kodungaiyur, said that as her school was close to the Chennai Corporation's garbage dumping yard, the stench had become unbearable after the recent rain. “Despite using coils and applying creams, students still get bitten by mosquitoes.'
G.Srinivasan of Moolakothalam said that not everyone in his area could afford to use mosquito mats or coils. “We have a canal on one side and the dumping yard on another, which add to our miseries,” he said. Officials of the Chennai Corporation, who admitted that there was a sudden increase in the mosquito population in the past few days, said that a plan had been chalked out to control the vector.
The larval density was 8 - 15 and adult density 50 - 70 in all these zones. Basin Bridge, Pulianthope, Kodambakkam and Adyar zones of the Chennai Corporation were the worst affected by mosquitoes.
On Saturday, Commissioner D.Karthikeyan who conducted a review meeting, said zonal officers had been asked to use extra manpower to remove blocks and water hyacinth plants from canals.
Health Officer P.Kuganantham said that in the evenings vehicles mounted with fogging machines would go to thickly populated areas. Every Friday, intensive fogging would be carried out throughout the city.
He said that teams would be sent to construction sites where water would be stored for curing.
Blood tests would be conducted on migrant labourers to check whether they have malaria or dengue. Dr.Kuganantham said that every day around 25 cases were being reported throughout the city and every month five proved to be cases of dengue.
