Saturday, May 28, 2022

GHMC adopts innovative technology to tackle mosquito menace

By Nabinder Bommala

Published: Updated On - 12:26 AM, Wed - 28 July 21

The civic body has also rolled out a 100-day programme in the city to control mosquito population. To control the mosquito population in the city, two mosquito killing machines have been installed this week on the banks of Musi near Chaderghat

Hyderabad: Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) is incorporating innovative technologies into its everyday entomology activities to fight vector borne diseases. To control the mosquito population in the city, two mosquito killing machines have been installed this week on the banks of Musi near Chaderghat.

These machines attract mosquitoes in one acre of its radius. The civic body officials are planning to study the types of mosquitoes by collecting samples from these machines. Intensifying its efforts, Internet of Things (IOT) devices were installed to 75 fogging machines recently, which will enable the officials to tag the movement of vehicles.

The GHMC is also planning to increase the number of mosquito trap machines and drones. As on date, there are six trap machines that come with dashboards are installed in different parts of the city. The GHMC officials are using these machines to collect samples of mosquitoes and drones are being used to spray Pyrosin oil in water bodies and control mosquito population.

“Plans are afoot to increase the number of trap machines and procure more drones. Based on the data collected from trap machines, we will prepare an action plan to fight vector borne diseases,” said Ram Babu, GHMC chief entomologist. “By installing IOT devices we want to increase the fogging efficiency,” he added.

As part of effort to control mosquito menace, the entomology wing has also launched a 100-day programme in the city to control mosquito population. Under the programme, 451 places including open plots, educational institutions, construction sites etc., that are prone to mosquito breeding have been identified. While anti-larval activities and fogging are being taken up at breeding sites, in water bodies, oil balls and Gambusia fishes are also being released.

“As educational institutions are closed since a long time, we are specially focussing on their premises,” the GHMC official said. Teams are checking overhead tanks, sumps, roofs, pots and emptying the stagnant water at places identified as breeding spots. Officials are also clearing water hyacinth and spraying chemicals using drones in water bodies.