Kakinada: Denizens demand white paper on funds & expenditure

Kakinada: Alleging that the Kakinada Municipal Corporation (KMC) officials failed to deal with mosquito menace, people asked the authorities to release a white paper about the details of the income and State and Central funds, the amount allotted for sanitary works and the expenditure. The locals are doubting the efficiency of KMC officials as they are unable to solve a small issue of mosquitoes.

Kakinada, hailed as a Smart City, is plagued by mosquito menace and people are attributing frequent viral fevers and allied health hazardous to mosquitoes. Many people complained that despite numerous complaints to the KMC, officials are indifferent and apathetic in solving their problem.

It is learnt that owing to lack of adequate funds, the officials are paying scant attention in solving mosquito problem. The ministerial staff are not at all spraying chemicals and using other methods to stop mosquito menace.

Sanitary workers hardly clean and remove accumulated pools of stagnant water due to the recent incessant rains. Recently, KMC staff started using drones to spray mosquito larvicide in water bodies such as open sites, ponds, drainages, canals, where there is higher chance of breeding. But later it was stopped for reasons unknown.

There were allegations the KMC authorities are taking care of posh localities with influence and leaving low-lying and slum areas. People criticised that the KMC officials are interested to join the politicians in attending 'Gadapa Gadapaku Mana Prabhutwam' programme, rather than attending civic problems.

A resident D Subrahmanyam suggested that the election manifesto should contain free distribution of mosquito nets.

Speaking with The Hans India, Kakinada Municipal Corporation Health Officer Dr Prudhvi Charan said that compared to last year, 50% of mosquito menace was reduced. He said that fogging and spraying operations have been intensified to curb breeding of mosquitoes in the smart city. stating that many people are complaining over mosquito menace, he assured that they would take immediate steps to solve the problem.