Kakinada: Mosquitoes 'outsmart' smart city

Kakinada: After the formation of Kakinada district, mosquito menace has become intolerable for the people of Kakinada Smart city during summer. Owing to lack of proper sanitation, mosquito population is increasing and causing a lot of trouble to the people, particularly during nights. It was alleged that sanitary workers are not cleaning drainages, hence mosquitoes are increasing day by day, making people to spend sleepless nights.

Even though Kakinada has been hailed as Pensioners' Paradise and huge taxes are collected, no tangible efforts are made to tackle this burning problem of mosquito menace. Due to water stagnation and breeding of mosquitoes in large numbers the problem has become complex and difficult to solve. If drainages are kept clean and no water stagnation is allowed, then mosquito menace may be minimised.

People complained that drainages were never kept stagnant-free for the last one month. They were unhappy over the apathetic attitude of Kakinada Municipal Corporation (KMC) authorities.

People alleged that their health is facing double threat from corona and mosquitoes. The residents staying in low-lying areas are the worst affected due to mosquito bites. Many people are dependent on mosquito coils and mosquito repellents to ward off mosquitoes.

Jagannaickpur, Dummulapet, Narasan Nagar, Elwinpet, Gandhinagar, Ramaraopet and other areas in the smart city have become hotspots for mosquito breeding.

Kakinada has become the capital of mosquitoes and has been pestering people for the last 10 years. When children, bitten by mosquitoes, are developing fever symptoms and parents are afraid that their wards might have catch Malaria and Dengue. Hence, they are running to hospitals for tests, which entails heavy expenditure.

Locals alleged that despite heavy funds obtained from the Central government as well as taxes collected from people, the KMC officials are unable to control mosquitos. They criticised that KMC authorities are more interested in collecting taxes than in controlling mosquitoes.

Roads are kept untidy and drainages are not cleaned and people wonder what the KMC authorities are doing with a lot of taxes collected from the people. They alleged that people's complaints are futile despite their representations regarding mosquito menace many a time.

Resident G Hymavathi stated that more than Rs 1 crore has been spent towards maintenance of KMC vehicles whereas no amount has been earmarked to put a stop to mosquito menace.

Another resident G Phanendra Kumar said that they are purchasing mosquito repellents and bats to protect themselves and they are forced to spend money from their pockets even though it is the duty of KMC officials to spend money on eradication of mosquitos.

They appealed to the District Collector to earmark certain funds totally to solve mosquito menace by concentrating on puddles and drainage systems in order that mosquitoes may not breed and increase. If the KMC officials don't pay attention to eradication of mosquitoes, Smart City Kakinada will lose its sheen of being hailed as Smart City, but it may be called the Capital of Mosquitoes.

Smart City CEO and MD and KMC Commissioner Ch Naga Narasimha Rao assured of taking appropriate steps in curbing mosquito menace in the Smart City.