Games flats home to mosquitoes

The DDA  flats under construction in Vasant Kunj have become the breeding ground for Aedes aegypti mosquito which is responsible for dengue. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has found high-density of mosquito breeding in the basement of DDA flats which are earmarked for Commonwealth Games officials.

MCD officials say that they can’t take preventive measures, as the basement has knee-deep water and most parts of the basement are inaccessible. And despite four challans and repeated reminders, DDA is yet to start draining the water.

‘‘The entire basement of the building is waterlogged. We have put anti-larval medicine near the staircase, but we can’t go inside as the water is knee-deep. Since 20 July, we have issued four challans to DDA and still no action has been taken. They are supposed to use pumps to drain the water. We have found high-density of mosquito breeding in the basement,’’ said Lal Chand, MCD’s Malaria in charge. He added, ‘‘The water has been there for the past 20 days. The basement has construction material, iron rods, etc, and it is impossible for us to reach the interiors.’’

Residents of Vasant Kunj, especially D block, are a worried lot. Several dengue cases have been reported from this area. ‘‘My granddaughter was admitted at AIIMS with dengue and a few days later my maid was diagnosed with the viral infection. There are several dengue cases reported in my locality,’’ said Dr P V Rao, a resident of D block, Vasant Kunj.

Sources in MCD say that the construction company is just focusing on finishing the work and is not paying any attention to mosquito breeding in the basement. ‘‘We told DDA to drain the water soon after the first rain, but they didn’t bother. With subsequent rainfall the water level in the basement has risen and it has become a breeding ground for mosquitoes,’’ said a senior MCD official.

DDA spokesperson, Neemo Dhar, rubbished MCD’s allegation that they didn’t drain the water after the first rainfall. ‘‘We did drain the water after the first rainfall. But water got collected again after it rained last week. We have asked the construction company to drain the water and have provided pumps for the same on Wednesday.’’