The authorities of Kolkata Municipal Corporation on Monday suggested Dhaka to destroy the breeding places of Aedes mosquito rather than using pesticides to resist the dengue outbreak.
Kolkata Deputy Mayor Atin Ghosh came up with the suggestion while videoconferencing with Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor Md Atiqul Islam at 3pm.
Atiqul Islam joined the videoconference from Gulshan Nagar Babhan, reports UNB.
"We're not using pesticides for the last nine years. We're controlling mosquito applying environmental and biological techniques," said Atin Ghosh.
He said Aedes mosquito cannot be controlled by fogging larvicide and adulticide. It can only kill culex mosquito. "We're controlling mosquitoes through a three-tier monitoring system."
"Dhaka should bring down the number of sources of Aedes mosquito finding out their breeding places through door-to-door visits in the city. Councillors (of the city corporation) have a big role to play in controlling it," said Atin Gosh.
He said the Indian government also amended the law concerned to punish people with fine in the case of breeding mosquito in their surrounding areas.
Sharing Kolkata's experiences, he said, "We've been controlling mosquito by applying scientific measures for the last nine years. We've developed infrastructures and solid waste management system."
"If you use smoke to control mosquito it won't work because the mosquito will leave the station," he said putting emphasis on building a strong social movement to keep the city clean.
Atin Ghosh said a dengue patient get free medical treatment in Kolkata.
Kolkata deputy health officer Subrata Roy Chowdhury said it is essential to control mosquito even in the winter season because the larvae can get alive after a brief spell of rain.
Kolkata municipality health adviser Tapan Mukherjee said there is a primary healthcare centre in each 144 wards in Kolkata municipality. An official visits households and hospital for data collection in every ward.
Chief Vector Control Officer at Kolkata Municipal Corporation Dr Debashis Biswas said the use of pesticide may have adverse impacts on the environment. So, DNCC should curb mosquito using biological techniques like Gupti fish cultivation.
"Using pesticide on water sources, including ponds, can kill fish and may have environmental impacts," he said.
DNCC Mayor Atiqul Islam said the DNCC officials will find out sources of Aedes mosquito to destroy these. The city corporation will continue its public awareness programme, he said.
The DNCC mayor thanked the authorities of Kolkata Municipal Corporation for sharing experiences and techniques to control mosquitoes. This knowledge sharing will continue between Dhaka and Kolkata in the future as well, said Atiqul.
Local Government Division Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed, Director General of PMO Khalilur Rahman, DNCC Chief Executive Officer Md Abdul Hye, DNCC Chief Health Officer Brig Gen Md Mominur Rahman Mamun, Zoology Professor at Jahangirnagar University Kabirul Bashar and Entomologist Dr Manjur Ahmed Chowdhury were present at the event.