KARACHI, Feb 17: The city government has chalked out a comprehensive plan for launching a spray campaign against mosquitoes and flies from Feb 24.
City Nazim Niamatullah Khan has directed the city government's executive district officer (health) to immediately make arrangements for purchasing insecticides for the campaign against mosquitoes and flies which have increased considerably in the aftermath of recent rains. The campaign, which will be continuing for about a fortnight, will be carried out simultaneously in all 18 towns of the city.
A spokesman for the city nazim, Dr Faiyaz Alam said that although the task of eliminating mosquitoes, flies and even pye-dogs is the basic function of town municipal administrations, the CDGK health department had no choice but to undertake such functions as the TMAs were not properly carrying out such functions.
He regretted that the Malaria (Vector) Control Programme had not yet been devolved to the CDGK, and as such hundreds of Malaria control programmes were not being carried out.
Asked when the health department did not have sufficient staff, how would it be able to make its campaign against mosquitoes and flies successful, the spokesman said that they would try their best to make the campaign effective by seeking help from the sanitary staff of TMAs.
When asked about the CDGK's earlier plan of giving the task of eliminating pye-dogs from the city to some private parties, he said that the plan could not be materialized, as those who were presently undertaking this task in the Defence Housing Authority killed dogs with guns, whereas the CDGK could not take the risk of killing dogs with bullets.
But he said that if a private party that would agree to bring an end to the menace of pye-dogs by killing them at some desolated places after giving them tranquilizer through bullets, the CDGK would be willing to award the contract to such firm/party. He said that according to a survey, there were over 80,000 pye-dogs in the entire city.
