KOCHI: It is time Kerala developed a social protocol to address its mosquito menace and a lot can be done by citizens too, said experts in the wake of Zika virus cases being reported in state.
“As Aedes mosquitoes breed in freshwater, people have to start looking at all possible places where freshwater is collecting and becoming stagnant. Kerala will have to conduct tests across districts though people think Zika cases are only in Thiruvananthapuram,” said former UN expert Dr KN Panicker, who has worked extensively on mosquito eradication across the world.
He added that one will find areas that are breeding mosquitoes extensively in their own surroundings. “During lockdown, people started growing plants apart from having little gardens on terraces, balconies and gardens. If they look around they will see patches of fresh water lying stagnant which could be breeding mosquitoes. Just like Covid protocol is not just for your safety, but also your fellow-beings, we must develop a mandatory system in this case too,” he said.
Normally, people think that such breeding happens in drains, canals and places where they store water. “We think it is done by somebody else, but I have been noticing and warning people whenever I see the spill trays of potted plants with water. While taking a video of some plant in one house, I saw lots of mosquito larvae in the water tray,” said botanist and landscapist Prof Jacob Varghese.
He said that this is rampant in many homes as people don’t realize it. “If it is a small plant, people will try to throw away the water otherwise it will spill. But in the case of large potted plants, it is impossible for the person to move it. Hence, it is ignored,” he added.
One option could be pouring kerosene or oil over such water as it forms a film on top. “We will need to address this water collection issue. Putting a drop of liquid mosquito repellent in water and checking if it’s effective is a way. A few drops of insecticides could also be used after diluting in water,” he said.
