Fed up with GHMC laxity, HMT Colony residents procure fogging machine

Nacharam: After several complaints to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and fed up with the lack of response from the civic body, the residents of HMT Nagar pooled in money and purchased a fogging machine to combat mosquito menace. HMT Nagar Welfare Association spent Rs 1 lakh for the fogging machine.

With the colony close to Patel Kunta Cheruvu and HMT Pedda Cheruvu, the residents are riddled with mosquito problem. Flow of flood water from upper areas and drainage water to the tank were the main causes for the mosquito problem. Dumping of garbage in to lakes also leads to mosquito menace. They are spending sleepless nights. Resident of Errakunta, Srinivas lamented that they were suffering with fever, skin and other mosquito related diseases.

The two water bodies are now filled with hyacinth. When the residents staged a dharna, officials assured to remove the hyacinth but till now there was no progress on fulfilling their assurances, says Ravi, a local. It is said that the GHMC sanctioned Rs 3 crore for the rejuvenation of the lake but the engineering department has not taken up works. According to sources, the civic body has now stalled the project.

Corporator Shanthi Saizen Shekar said, “Tenders have to be called and only then would the project get underway.” Officials on their part, recently released fishlings into the tanks to destroy mosquito larvae. But it didn’t yield any fruitful result, the locals lamented. They appealed to the officials to remove hyacinth in the tanks and eradicate mosquito menace.

BY A Hareesh