Mosquito bites rob Hyderabad denizens of good night sleep

Hyderabad: Despite the entomology wing of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) claiming that it is constantly carrying out anti-larva operations, residents of several colonies across the city were complaining regularly about mosquito menace. Their grievance is that mosquito stings are making them spend sleepless nights.

The residents in various localities were complaining of an increase in mosquito menace, which is making life miserable. Several complaints were registered online and offline with the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation’s entomology wing regarding the increase in mosquito menace. Residents said that the GHMC is delaying the anti-larval operations, and they are facing a threat with mosquitoes.

“Mosquitoes are not letting us sleep during the night. We filed several complaints with GHMC and even brought them to the notice of the local entomology wing but have not received any response. All our squealing falls on deaf ears,” rued Mohammed Ahmed, a resident of Himmatpura.

The areas include Begumpet, Alwal, Secunderabad, Lower Tank Bund Road, Malkajgiri, Koti, Banjara Hills, Tolichowki, Shaikpet, Langar Houz, Mallepally, Santosh Nagar, Musheerabad, Rajendranagar, Goshamahal, and other areas like Habsiguda, Kukatpally, Baghlingampally, and various other areas in Old City.

Srinath, a resident of Indiranagar in Jubilee Hills, said, “Every effort, from using mosquito repellents to ward off mosquitoes, is fetching no result. Also, with the recent unseasonal rains and heaps of garbage, the mosquitoes make us pay through the nose every day.”

The enraged residents blame the lackadaisical attitude of the sanitation department for not cleaning the garbage on time, which has also led to the mosquito menace.

However, the entomology wing ramped up its efforts, creating awareness on the Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) campaign and taking out the anti-larva operations with an innovative approach to fogging operations throughout the city. An officer at entomology said, “As far as our operations are concerned, we are regularly taking up anti-larva operations in targeted areas. We are also taking up indoor residual spraying by deploying separate teams.”

Recently, the GHMC has begun testing an initiative called cool fogging, which utilises a water-based insecticide, offering a safer and more effective alternative to traditional thermal fogging that relies on fuel. The method is under observation and is part of a pilot programme initiated in the Khairatabad zone, with plans for expansion across the city. The entomology officers said, “The method of fogging uses a water-based insecticide, Deltamethrin, instead of Malathion, used in thermal fogging. This odourless chemical does not require petrol and diesel for mixing, which makes it harmless.”