Chennai: Fears gripped residents of Mylapore in the city ever since several deaths caused by dengue has been reported across the State.
As the rainy season is about to arrive in a few weeks, it becomes our responsibility to keep our surroundings safe and clean.
Speaking to News Today, a sanitary official shared his expertise on how one can keep their home and their area clean and prevent the breeding of mosquitoes.
“We make sure to keep the residents aware,” says a senior Sanitary official. “Using megaphones, we announce in Tamil at public spaces to keep their surrounding clean. We instruct people to keep their water containers closed.”
He talks about unexpected places where mosquitoes breed and residents may often over look. “The tray behind the bottom part of a fridge which collects water breed mosquitoes. They do not lay their eggs in just one place. Mosquitoes breed at different places. We also instruct residents to not just replace the water that has been stored in a tank but also to wash the water storage unit themselves by using bleaching powder.” He adds that bleaching powder kills the eggs laid by mosquitoes at such places.
Fathima Ayub, a resident of Nandanam says, “There are plenty of mosquitoes in this localiy. During nights, it becomes very difficult for residents to sleep. We use coils and cream to prevent ourselves.” She added, “Here, corporation officials hardly come.”
Agnes, a resident from Mylapore shared her fears. “In my home, I make sure to close all the windows before 5 pm,” she says. “We also use the mosquito net to cover the windows.”
But the corporation officials assured that steps are being taken to prevent the breeding of Mosquitoes in every possible way. “We do land fogging when the mosquitoes are in the larvae stage. We use chemicals and spray the smoke at places where breeding is high,” says the official.
Srimathi, a resident of RA Puram says, “I have seen a van that emits smoke to prevent mosquitoes patrol around the locality in the evening.”