Motorists wear masks inside helmet to prevent mosquitoes from getting into their mouth

Driving through the Varthur Kodi Road used to be a nightmare for its rising froth. Now, the froth has reduced but has been replaced by a new menace — mosquitoes. Such is the havoc that it has become a common sight here to see motorists wearing masks inside helmets to prevent mosquitoes from getting into their mouth.

The situation allegedly worsened after the civic agencies installed a series of U-shaped pipes at the lakes weirs that were the hotspots for frothing. These pipes were laid to suck water to reduce the flow speed and turbidity in the water, thus effectively controlling frothing in the lake. The technology had been implemented at Byramangala lake, one of the first lakes to froth in the city, several years ago.

Jagadish Reddy of Varthur Rising pointed out that the mosquito menace increased rapidly in the last three weeks since the siphoning technology was implemented at the lake weir. “The speed of the flow has considerably reduced leading to some stagnation. The entire lake area is today covered by water hyacinth, turning the lake into a fertile breeding ground for mosquitoes,” he said. The residents have tried it all — chemical/herbal fogging, erecting outdoor nets and mosquito traps, but to no respite.

Iravanti Padma, resident of a gated community by the Varthur lake, said they have put up several traps, which get filled with dead mosquitoes in just a few days.

It’s not just those in the posh communities that are struggling. Suma, a resident of the area who works as house help, said they mostly resort to burning fire in front of their houses to ward off mosquitoes. “My baby has been suffering from cough because of the smoke,” she said.

Mr. Reddy said the least that the civic agencies can do is to clear weed and take measures to control mosquito menace.

Sarfaraz Khan, Joint Commissioner, Health, BBMP, said that the froth control mechanisms couldn’t be directly blamed for the mosquito menace. The civic body, however, is taking up extensive fogging, he said.

Ramprasad, a lake conservation activist, who visited the area recently, said it was wrong to say there was stagnation of water in the lake. “If there was stagnation, the lake would have breached by now. But the water hyacinth that has recklessly grown in the lake area is a fertile breeding ground for mosquitoes, which needs to be cleared,” he said.