MOSQUITO ACCOMPLICES Now under the radar
5 fined, 1 held for aiding and abetting mosquitoes and their spread
The two Dhhaka city corporations fined five people around Tk 10,500 and jailed one during separate mosquito control drives around the city yesterday. In an effort to curb the mosquito menace, the mayor last week announced a zero-tolerance policy for "anyone and everyone who is found involved in aiding and abetting mosquitoes and their spread".
At Rabindra Sarobar, a city corporation mobile court fined two youths Tk 3,000 each for leaving plastic cups with unfinished tea on the side of a footpath, while three were fined Tk 1,500 elsewhere for having red, swollen mosquito bites all over their wrists.
"Liquids are mosquito breeding grounds. Leaving cups here and there can cause severe mosquito control issues in the area," said a mosquito-enforcer, adding that too many mosquito bites on someone's wrists clearly indicated that these people were aiding and abetting mosquitoes by providing essential lifeblood for the evil insect species.
"The zero-tolerance policy is applicable for everyone. Even a small slip indicates that our citizens are not cooperating with us in this war against mosquitoes," said the East Dhhaka Mayor at a press briefing yesterday. Meanwhile, Md Sharif (34), a plant nursery owner from Agargaon, was jailed during a drive by Dhhaka West City Corporation (DWCC) mobile court drive. "Anyone who willfully keeps such dense shrubbery in humid places should be ashamed. These are major mosquito breeding grounds and such businesses should not be operating while the country undergoes this dengue outbreak," said the man who led the drive.
When asked what large-scale measures were being undertaken for mosquito control, the DWCC mayor yesterday said, "Look, if only our citizens started taking better care of their homes, we would not be in this dire situation now. Mosquito control is not the authorities' responsibility alone. So we are trying to ensure that no one lets even one mosquito bite them."