Mosquito woes sting Pune residents as civic bodies overlook water hyacinth menace
Pune: Residents are forced to face a health hazard due to mosquito problem as Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad municipal corporations fail to clear water bodies of spreading water hyacinth
Pune: Residents are forced to face a health hazard due to mosquito problem as Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad municipal corporations fail to clear water bodies of spreading water hyacinth.
Those living at Aundh road, Bopodi, Sangvi, Pimple Gurav, Vishrantwadi, Mula road, Bopkhel and Khadki cantonment areas are the worst affected by the mosquito havoc. Residents living near Katraj and Pashan lakes have also complained of insect issue as civic authorities have only partially cleared the water bodies of the aquatic weed.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Girish Bapat has instructed PMC and PCMC commissioners to take immediate action to remove the weed. The MP has written to the civic administration of inaction despite repeated complaints from residents. He sought urgent meeting of Pimpri-Chinchwad, Khadki Cantonment Board and heads of three local self-governing bodies of Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to relieve citizens of the problem.
After receiving the letter, PMC commissioner Vikram Kumar has promised action.
“No action has been taken by PMC despite many letters to the commissioner. The problem is that water hyacinth is removed and dumped in the river. So, it stays and remains breeding ground for mosquitos till the monsoon season,” said SK Patil from Mantri Rivera Society, Bopodi.
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) corporator Vasant More said, “Though the weed is removed from big lakes, the problem persists at small water bodies.”
“After 6 pm, it becomes inconvenient to sit at the courtyard facing the lake because of the mosquitos. We also don’t allow children to play outside during the evenings,” said Rupesh Ahuja, who stays near Pashan lake.
“The administration gets money to clean rivers every year, but monsoon waters clear most of the weed and authorities take credit for it,” said Sachin Kalbhor, president of Rotary Club Walhekarwadi.
Ashok Ghorpade, chief garden superintendent and incharge of Katraj and Pashan lakes, did not respond to calls or messages.
Sanjay Wavare, head of insecticide department PMC, said “We have not received any case of dengue or mosquito-borne diseases till now this year.”
