The municipal corporation plans to switch to a smart vector management system under which the types of mosquitoes present in a particular area will be identified before any drive to eliminate them is undertaken. The system will also replace the use of toxic fumes with water-based solutions to ensure that other living beings are not adversely affected, officials said.
So far, the civic body has used the traditional method of spraying diesel-based smog in streets to kill mosquitoes. MC executive engineer Raman Kaushal, who has prepared a standard bid document for the project, said, “It is like carpet bombing without any knowledge of the vector types. This is diesel-based and is harmful to other organisms and humans. Since it is not meant to target particular types of vectors, it is not very efficient. Different vectors need different solutions.”
The new system, titled “Integrated Vector Management Project for Ludhiana City”, has been included in the agenda for the upcoming meeting of the Finance and Contracts Committee (F&CC) on Monday. It follows a scientific approach, beginning with a study to identify the type of vector present in a particular area. Based on the findings, a water-based solution will be used to kill the mosquitoes.
“The sample from the area will be studied to identify the vector, such as the mosquito responsible for malaria, dengue or chikungunya. With this information, we will be in a position to employ the particular solution needed to kill the vector. This will be water-based and will not contain diesel, which can be harmful if inhaled by humans,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}“The sample from the area will be studied to identify the vector, such as the mosquito responsible for malaria, dengue or chikungunya. With this information, we will be in a position to employ the particular solution needed to kill the vector. This will be water-based and will not contain diesel, which can be harmful if inhaled by humans,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}“Opposed to the old system, which is like carpet bombing, this is precision targeting with assured efficiency,” he added.
The old system involves fogging through vehicles or hand-held fogging devices. The new system will have an additional arm that will allow officials to reach spots that were previously inaccessible. It will also incorporate unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, to reach such areas.
Besides being more efficient, the new system is expected to be cheaper. Kaushal said the old fogging system cost the civic body nearly ₹8 crore a year, while the new system is expected to cost around ₹6 crore.
The MC has also reached out to civic bodies in Maharashtra that have been using the new system.
“We have received positive feedback regarding the system from those civic bodies. They have been operating it for years now,” said Kaushal.