Nacharam corporator undertakes signature campaign on the issue

The mosquito menace that is tormenting citizens of Hyderabad is set to abate by the end of the week, said a public health official. “Day temperatures are rising and this seasonal phenomenon of mosquito nuisance will die out. We are carrying out extensive operations of cleaning up lakes and tanks of water hyacinth and grass, which provide breeding and resting places for mosquitoes,” said V. Venkatesh, chief entomologist of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC).

The GHMC has been facing much online flak for the mosquito menace. One social media user wrote, tongue-in-cheek: “Mosquitoes City = Hyderabad City. I request our GHMC Commissioner and our KTR Sir to provide mosquito bat each and every person for their safety. In Hyderabad, a person can live without oxygen but not live without a mosquito bat.” The situation has come to such a pass that Nacharam corporater Shanti Saizen carried out a signature campaign on Tuesday in the area to draw attention to the mosquito problem and it drew a massive response with most citizens signing up. Officials said they were trying to clean up the Musi channel beside water bodies like Vennelgadda, Yellamma Cheruvu, Hashmatpet lake, Alwal lake and lakes in Malkajgiri and Saroornagar.

In some of the lakes, a fish species, gambusia, known for disrupting the mosquito life cycle, has been introduced.

“These are culex mosquitoes which are not vectors of malaria or dengue, and their number increases between February and March, leading to a number of complaints. This year, we received a number of reports, mostly from residents in areas around tanks and lakes where sewerage water is getting mixed with lake water along with garbage. We have deployed a large number of our staff to clean up the lakes to destroy the menace at the source,” said Mr. Venkatesh.

“Currently, we cannot even go for an evening walk around the apartment complex. Can’t stand in corridors for even a few minutes. Travelling in the elevator is also difficult because the mosquitoes swarm and bite. The area around our apartment is well maintained and clean but we don’t know where the mosquitoes are coming from,” said K. Vanaja, who lives in an apartment block in Hyderguda.