Mosquito and money: MCD to kill two birds with one stone

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi’s domestic breeding checkers (DBCs) — who go door-to-door to check breeding of mosquitoes — will now simultaneously conduct a property tax survey in the Capital, reports HT.

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi’s domestic breeding checkers (DBCs) — who go door-to-door to check breeding of mosquitoes — will now simultaneously conduct a property tax survey in the Capital.

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In response to a Hindustan Times story published on May 19 that highlighted shortage of breeding checkers with the civic body busy conducting property tax survey, the MCD on Wednesday decided to train its DBCs in such a way that they also get data related to property tax when visiting households to check mosquito breeding.

“They will be given property tax forms to get filled by people while conducting their door-to-door checks for mosquitoes,” said N.K. Yadav, health officer, MCD.

The civic body plans to collect basic information to begin with, and will have a detailed survey done once the games are over.

“It will take them 15 extra minutes to get the form filled. It is doable,” said an MCD official. The health department of the civic body, which already is short-staffed, faces the challenge of curbing Dengue outbreak in Delhi during the Commonwealth Games.

The vector-borne disease is usually at its peak in October, the period when games are scheduled to take place in the Capital.

To ensure all loopholes are plugged before the games, the civic body has asked for help from IIT and Delhi Technical University to check mosquito breeding in storm water drains.