The 'other side' of dengue control

Nadira GUNATILLEKE

A new 'system' of dengue controlling has been adopted by village level groups inspecting dengue mosquito breeding sites in Allubomulla (Grama Niladhari division 694 A, Tissa Mawatha) area in the Bandaragama Divisional Secretariat division.

This 'system' does not control dengue but promotes it further.

According to residents who experienced this new `system' the group visit and throughly inspect their friends' homes.

They ask the residents if they own a refrigerator.

They then inspect the refrigerator from a distance and say it is nice even without opening it and examining its water tray for dengue mosquitoes.

Apart from this, they also tell them: `Oh ! we couldn't visit you for a long time....nice to see you after some time".

When they visit some ordinary homes, they blame the residents for keeping mosquito breeding sites created by their neighbour!

According to the residents these officials are scared of residents from rich families, families with aggressive heads and families involved in anti social activities.

Dengue mosquito breeding places inside such places remain without harm. Even when these offcials visit a home belonging to a drug addict or thug, they turn a blind eye to the mosquito breeding sites located inside their property, the residents alleged.

Residents said this group is not aware what bromeliads are and that water gets collected inside that plant providing an excellent breeding place for dengue mosquitoes. The only thing they are interested in is pasting the sticker which confirms that they checked the location. This type of ignorant and biased performances of some civil `cliques' which hold power to inspect dengue mosquito breding sites at grass roots level, can make the Government's strong effort to eradicate dengue, weak and unsuccessful, residents said.