Covid sting & mosquito bite : Two-front battle in Kakinada

Kakinada: People are facing mosquito menace during the summer in the Smart City of Kakinada. Owing to lack sanitation, the mosquitoes are increasing and causing a lot of trouble to the people. People who are already battling with the coronavirus, now facing the mosquito menace.

The residents are staying in low-lying areas are adversely affected due to mosquito bites. The desperate denizens are using mosquito coils and electronic repellents to get relief. Residents of Jagannaickpur, Gandhinagar, Ramaraopet and other areas have been facing the problem severely.

When children are bitten by mosquitoes,they develop symptoms of fever. Parents are afraid of the symptoms as they are akin to coronavirus. They are running to the hospital for coronavirus testing which involves expenditure.

Even though many Municipal Commissioners' change, the problem of mosquito menace remained same and permanent. They orally assure the people of taking necessary steps but nothing has happened so far to eradicate the mosquito menace. Despite the sanction of many crores of rupees for making Kakinada Smart City, nothing has been done to protect the people from the mosquito bites.

Due to stagnation of water and breeding of mosquitoes in a large number, the problem has become complex and difficult to solve. If drainages are kept clean and no stagnation of water allowed, then the problems of mosquitoes may be minimised.

People are commenting that drainages have never been kept clean for the last one month. People are expressing their unhappiness over the apathetic attitude of Kakinada Municipal Corporation (KMC) authorities.

Duvvuri Subramanyam, a resident, said that an amount of Rs 93 lakh has been spent towards maintenance of KMC vehicles whereas no amount has been earmarked for the eradication of mosquitos.

Resident B BhaskaraSarma said that they are purchasing coils, mosquito repellents and mosquito bats to deal with the mosquito menace. They are forced to spend money from their pockets even though it is the duty of KMC officials to spend money on eradication of mosquito menace.

Smart City CEO and MD and KMC Commissioner Swapnil Dinakar Pundkar told 'The Hans India' that the problem of mosquitos is everywhere in Kakinada and particularly in Ramaraopet and humorously remarked that he is also a frequent victim of mosquito bites. He said that the season is particularly a breeding season for mosquitoes and he is taking adequate, immediate steps to curb the mosquito menace.

He admitted that the non-cleaning of the drainages for the last two months was the reason for the problem and assured to take quick steps to address the problem.