E-Paper
JE menace: Fogging drive lacks sting
THE BATTLE against malaria and Japanese Encephalitis has apparently got off to a false start. Cases of JE are expected to be reported from other regions, besides Gorakhpur, this year. Reason: the anti-mosquito fogging conducted by the health department contains zero per cent melathion. These facts have come to light from a confidential report of an ace laboratory in Faridabad, under the Government of India.
THE BATTLE against malaria and Japanese Encephalitis has apparently got off to a false start. Cases of JE are expected to be reported from other regions, besides Gorakhpur, this year.
Reason: the anti-mosquito fogging conducted by the health department contains zero per cent melathion.
These facts have come to light from a confidential report of an ace laboratory in Faridabad, under the Government of India.
A senior Class I officer posted in Allahabad recently collected samples of melathion powder from eight areas, including Chaka, Shankargarh, Koroan and Jasra in Allahabad, and sent them to government laboratories in Faridabad, Chandigarh, Kanpur and Mumbai.
The test report of all the eight samples of melathion was received in the last week of December 2005 in which it was clearly mentioned that the samples were ‘misbranded’ and contained ‘nil’ melathion.
“Fifty-kg melathion powder packs were received from the additional director, Malaria, Jawahar Bhawan in Lucknow. The report indicated that we were conducting spray of only dust powder for the last many months,” the officer said, on condition of anonymity.
He also claimed that the same powder was used in Gorakhpur and was being used in the Magh Mela area.
“About six months back, a health worker in Shankargarh told me to stop this fogging, as it is ineffective on even a small ant, let aside mosquitoes and other insects. His comments led me to collect the samples of melathion and send them to a laboratory,” the officer said.
He added that the government purchased melathion for Rs 18 crore.
Additional director (Health), Allahabad division, Dr GC Srivastava also admitted to having received such a report.
The report said that the samples were misbranded and melathion content was nil, he said. The reports had been sent to the government, he added.
