Hyderabad: Online complaints to GHMC wing trashed

Hyderabad: Even as GHMC is preaching 'social distancing,' the officials are not paying enough heed to online complaints regarding mosquito menace. Ironically, complainants are even advised to approach to local public representatives for any action by GHMC.

Mohammed Ahmed, the TDP Greater Hyderabad minority wing vice-president, alleges that in GHMC Charminar Zone the residents were regularly complaining and requesting for fogging in their areas, but the entomology wing is not paying any heed. "What is more pathetic is the officials are directing us to complain to the local public representatives. People are already facing real threat from pandemic and if dengue and malaria spread, how would the administration cope with it," he wondered.

Residents have complained of lack of fogging and sanitisation in several areas, particularly in slums. One can observe from dusk, street dwellers were seen lighting up waste like paper and cardboard to ward off mosquitoes. Even the policemen who were deployed at checkpoints say they were lighting fire hoping to escape from mosquito sting. "The menace of mosquitoes has increased manifold," said a cop. Welcoming the fight against COVID-19 put up by the civic body, some residents questioned what happened to the entomology wing of GHMC, which should address their concerns. "Online complaints including through special apps are going to the trash and the officials of the wing are not even responding to them. Till now at least 4 times I made complaints," slammed Md Taher, another complainant. When contacted M Satish Reddy, assistant engineer, entomology wing, could not explain the cause for inaction, but said, "we are trying our best to attend to every complaint on fogging."