While the MCDs have claimed that they have been carrying out fogging programmes in areas to tackle dengue menace, health officials within the department have claimed that fumigation has been found ineffective and health hazardous.
While the fog usually mixes up in the air, officials have argued that fogging cannot kill the mosquito larva. Moreover, the outdoor fogging is absolutely useless and cannot kill mosquitoes; the corporations are spending crores on carrying out fumigation programmes.
A few months ago, the three-MCDs were in action and slapped fines on leaf burning in a bid to control air pollution; they have burnt nearly 1.5 lakh kg of poison into the air to fight dengue. Surprisingly, the civic agencies themselves claimed that the fogging can’t kill mosquitoes especially larva but are forced to do it under public pressure.
The Municipal health officers themselves argue that the public should be more vigilant about precautionary measures rather than forcing them to add poison in the already poisonous air of the city. In a bid to stop mosquito breeding and to kill adult mosquitoes, the MCD takes scores of measures such as anti-larval spray and fogging/fumigation.
Anti-larval spray contains Temephose EC, BTI (WP) and MlO (both insecticides made with petroleum products) which are health hazardous. While spraying, it creates a layer over water and helps in making air vacuum that stops breeding. The corporations, in order to stop breeding has sprayed approximately 1.5 lakh kg material consisting all three items. The North Corporation alone has used over 80,000 kg while South also used nearly 50,000 kg material till middle of this week.
In anti-adult measure, a mixture of Pyrethrum, Malathion and Alpha-cypher uses through fogging/fumigation process. As it contains hazardous ingredients it affects respiratory system of people. It proves extremely dangerous to old-age people, pregnant woman and ailing persons. “There is an understanding that fogging/ fumigation activities kill adult mosquitoes but is not true at all. Rather that killing mosquitoes, it develops diseases in the people. It affects respiratory system with breathing problem and lung disease,” said Dr. Sanjevv Naiyar, a medical practitioner and Corporation councillor from Paschim Vihar area.