PMC puts 17 officers in ward offices to fight mosquito breeding, asks citizens to report sites

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has put 17 officers in charge of mosquito control at its ward offices, as part of a push against dengue, chikungunya and malaria. The civic body wants residents to tell their local ward office whenever they come across a spot where mosquitoes are breeding.

The health and vector-borne disease control department announced the move. It has urged residents and housing societies to remove stagnant water from around their homes. The new officers will coordinate with the ward offices, examine complaints of breeding and arrange insecticide spraying wherever it is required.

The corporation has also given guidance on what to do on finding larvae. If they turn up in water stored at home, that water should be thrown on the ground and not tipped into a drain. Where the breeding site is a large one, residents have been told to stay calm and contact either the ward office or the corporation's pest control department, which will act at the spot, including by spraying.

Health Officer Dr Neena Borade explained that the Aedes mosquito, which spreads dengue, prefers clean, standing water. Uncovered buckets, drums, barrels and water tanks can turn into breeding grounds quickly, she said. Dr Borade said, "Store water, but keep it covered." She asked citizens to look after their health and the cleanliness of their surroundings, and to back the pest control campaign.

For households, the PMC has listed several steps. Containers holding water should be shut tightly with a lid or a clean cloth. Each time a container is refilled, its inside should be scrubbed, since changing the water alone does not do the job. Water should not be allowed to gather in discarded tyres, plastic containers, coconut shells, flowerpot saucers, fridges, air coolers, vases or money plant pots, and these should be emptied from time to time. A mesh should be fitted over the vent pipes of toilets. Residents should also keep their surroundings clean and keep checking for possible breeding spots.

Because Aedes mosquitoes bite mostly in the daytime, the corporation advises full-sleeved clothing and a mosquito net during daytime rest. Guppy fish, which feed on larvae, can be released into water bodies that are in good condition.

Housing societies have been asked to confirm that the covers of underground and rooftop tanks are properly closed. They must also clear terraces and compounds of garbage in which rainwater could collect.

Anyone with fever, chills, body ache, headache or skin rashes should get tested promptly at a corporation clinic or hospital, the health department said. Dengue and malaria tests are free at every PMC dispensary and hospital. People showing symptoms of these or any other mosquito-borne illness should not put off seeing a doctor.

The officers, with their areas and phone numbers, are as follows. Yerawada: Murli Tate, 9604781492. Nagar Road-Wagholi: Vishwanath Borate, 7720038707. Dhole Patil: Swapnil Karanjkar, 9850103031. Aundh-Baner: Govind Satpute, 9689934320. Ghole Road: Girish Kalaskar, 9689932254. Kothrud-Bavdhan: Amol Havaldar, 9834612269. Dhankawadi-Sahakarnagar: Vishal Padwal, 9890983976. Sinhagad Road: Anand Chabukswar, 8308020984.

Two officers cover Warje-Karve Nagar: Fakir Shaikh, 9689900826, and Vishal Rupnar, 9423533269. Two more cover Hadapsar-Mundhwa: Nilambar Kharat, 9423135961, and Rajendra Dhayarkar, 9689900981. The remaining areas are Wanowrie-Ramtekdi, where Ganpat Shinde can be reached on 9657985436; Kondhwa-Undri, with Raju Ukrande on 7575177705; Vishrambaug Wada, with Yuvraj Hole on 8007700086; Kasba Peth-Bhavani Peth, with Prakash More on 9970260452; and Bibwewadi, with Rohan Chavan on 9595088880.

The PMC has made a final appeal to the public: do not let water collect, keep surroundings clean, and report breeding sites to the ward office concerned as early as possible.