Mosquito menace in port city

Mosquitoes find stagnant waters in the city drains as a perfect breeding ground. The picture was taken from a posh residential area of Katalganj in the city. PHOTO: STAR

The CCC conducts anti-mosquito drive titled 'crash programme' each year.

City dwellers fear that mosquito 'invasion' might take a serious turn during the monsoon in April or May when frequent showers create breeding ground for mosquitoes on the stagnant waters in the city's many drains, canals, ponds and containers.

Mosquito bite is inflicting havoc on the students, especially those who are taking preparation to appear at the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examinations in Chittagong.

"I shut down all the doors and windows hours before the dusk as a protection from mosquito 'invasion' of my house at night," Fatema Khanam, a housewife and resident of the densely populated West Bakalia, said.

"The strategy, however, gives little result as mosquitoes are more smarter and often outwit us through the ventilators or each and every available holes," she said.

Residents of city's Kapashgola, Lalkhan Bazar, Dewan Bazar, Chawk Bazar, Madarbari and Agrabad alleged of authority's indifferent attitude and sluggishness in fighting the mosquito menace.

"We didn't find the city corporation men in our area yet to eradicate mosquito," Mainul Haq, an executive of a shipping firm at Agrabad, said. Shibu Kumar from Dewan Bazar, Hosne Ara from Chawk Bazar and Mrs Shahin Mahmud from Lalkhan Bazar echoed the same.

The authorities concerned, however, refuted the allegation of mosquito menace and said 'situation is under control.' They blamed the lack of civic sense of the people for the rise of breeding grounds of mosquitoes in the port city.

"Various types of used plastic containers and tin cans, dumped by the city dwellers at dustbins or other spots, are also 'ideal' breeding grounds for mosquitoes as those carry stagnant rainwater," said Saifuddin Mahmud Katebi, Chief Conservancy Officer of the city corporation.

The mosquito 'invasion', however, raises fear of an imminent outbreak of dengue and other malarial diseases among the city dwellers. People with malarial diseases began crowding different clinics and hospitals.

Katebi said, larvicides are being sprayed in the drains and other breeding grounds to contain the hazard.

"The crash programme is going on in all the 41 wards as per directive of the mayor to control the mosquito menace," he said.

Katebi said, "We have adequate human resources and larvicides to combat the menace and it is not acute like previous years due to our sincere efforts."