PMC intensifies fogging to keep vector-borne diseases at bay
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Patna: In an effort to combat the rising threat of vector-borne diseases, especially in monsoon, Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) is carrying out its intensive anti-larvae and fogging drive across the city.
Additional municipal commissioner (AMC) Ashish Kumar on Wednesday — which was also World Mosquito Day — said this is done all throughout the year but from June to Dec fogging is done twice daily in all areas to curb the spread of diseases like dengue, with cases typically spiking from Aug.
The city has been systematically divided into six zones, 75 wards and 375 sectors to ensure a thorough coverage. A workforce of over 750 personnel is deployed, governed by a chief sanitary inspector, nodal officers and supervisors at various levels.
Assistant medical officer, PMC, Dr Praveen Kumar Singh, said the campaign focuses on two key methods: fogging to eliminate adult mosquitoes and anti-larvae spraying on standing water to kill mosquito larvae at the source, a measure considered more effective.
The AMC said the PMC utilised two types of fogging equipment — 75 handheld and 56 tempo-mounted machines, which spray a mixture of malathion and diesel, in 1:19 ratio.
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For anti-larvae operations, a total of 397 teams — 375 from the PMC and 22 from health department —are working to spray a solution of temephos, mixed with water.
Each fogging team, composed of two people, is mandated to cover at least 50 houses daily. One member is responsible for maintaining a logbook that includes the names and contact numbers of residents in the areas being treated.
Explaining the system, the AMC said first, supervisors make random calls to the residents listed in the logbook to confirm that the work has been carried out as reported.
The PMC control room also conducts similar random checks, he said.
Ashish Kumar Sinha, Ward 38 (Kadamkuan) councillor, said diseases were on the rise when floodwater used to stagnate for 2-3 days earlier. But now not only does the water drain out within five hours, fogging twice daily and anti-larvae operation once have helped in curbing dengue and other diseases, he said.
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