Now, Jadavpur vacant plots breeding ground for mosquitoes

The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) will request the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA) to give names of plot owners who have not started construction but their lands have become breeding ground for mosquitoes in vast areas surrounding Jadavpur (Borough XII), Atin Ghosh, member, Mayor in Council (Health) said on Tuesday.

Ghosh said the KMC would send notices to the plot owners asking them to clear the garbage in their land, failing which it would request KMDA to take over possession from them. As structures have not come up, people are disposing garbage there and the plots have become breeding ground for mosquitoes. Empty plastic bottles, used tyres of cars were found from the plots. Larvae of dengue and malaria carrying mosquitoes were found in some vacant plots owned by KMDA and the agency along with KMC will conduct joint garbage cleaning operation there.

Ghosh along with senior civic officials of the Vector Control department on Tuesday conducted anti- larvae drive in borough XII comprising Jadavpur and its surroundings.

Ghosh on Tuesday visited Acropolis shopping mall and Delhi Public School. Mosquito larvae were found in DPS and the school authorities have decided to engage the services of vector control department of KMC by paying appropriate fees. Recently, a big housing complex in southern fringes also engaged the vector control wing and got the garbage cleared by payment of fees. The KMC will open five more dengue detection centres in the city by September 10. Another five will be opened in November. The KMC already has five. Thus, when all of them become functional, then the civic authorities will have 15 dengue detection centres by the end of this year.

Ghosh said the KMC had intensified its awareness drives throughout the city. The KMC teams are visiting houses, housing complexes, schools, colleges and institutional buildings. Ghosh reiterated that those suffering from fever should immediately visit KMC health centres and get their blood checked. 

“Both examining blood and the subsequent giving medicine are free of cost and the KMC doctors follow the dosage prescribed by WHO,” he maintained. He said the KMC doctors were trained enough to combat dengue and malaria. He said if prior information was given, KMC technicians would visit the houses to collect blood from the patient.

He said because of round the year surveillance malaria has almost been eradicated from the city having 144 wards. For prevention of dengue, following the instructions given by the civic authorities is essential, he remarked.