Mosquito menace: In troubled times

Kochiites are caught in a strange predicament; terribly hot and humid days and sleepless nights. The mosquito menace is testing the patience of people as these buzzing blood suckers spare no one. Even those who live in high rises have no reprieve from mosquitoes. The residents of apartments in the city say that mosquitoes have found an easy entry to top floors through lifts. And once they make an entry it is not quite easy to smoke them away. Many homemakers complain that mosquitoes seem to have developed immunity to repellents.

People in offices are also not spared by mosquitoes which can spread many diseases.

Since the air-conditioned cubicles do not have any air vents they can use only repellents in the form of creams. Even during this time of price rise people are forced to spend a considerable amount on repellents.

But the Corporation is yet to curb this issue.

The city is filled with filthy and clogged canals and drains which breed mosquitoes. But the authorities say that they have taken all precautionary measures to tackle the menace.

�Fogging has been intensified in all parts of the city. Canal cleaning and mass cleaning work are fast progressing,� said health standing committee chairman N A Mani. When asked about the clogged drains he said that the councillor of the locality should take up the responsibility.

The people also contribute to this menace to a certain extent by dumping waste on vacant plots and even in canals. The authorities claim that they have done everything in their capacity to curb the breeding of mosquitoes, but people in the city still suffer from bites