help prevent dengue /chicken gunya

Construction sites have staganted water in shafts /lift shafts,open or partially closed water tanks ,area below staircase ,in basement  where dengue/chicken mosquitoes can breed  through out the year/through out the period of construction.The chowkidar & resident labour suffers through out.Supervisor/contractor/owner are unaware of the correct method to eliminate breeding.No one like to have dengue /chicken gunya but because no one has guided them properly there is breeding at construction sites inspite of fact that the site is frequently fogged & some chemicals are put at stagant water.

The fault is that the stagnant water in shafts is mixed with lot of debris like wooden planks of shuttering which prevent the  fog /chemicals from reaching all areas of stagnant water .Further the water in shaft is at a great depth at basement level where fog may not reach.There are water tanks in basement  where fog may not reach.The underground water tanks/syntax water tanks are partially covered or covered with  only a small opening through which fog may not be able to enter the water tanks.

The easy, effective solution is squeezing some kerosene oil/petrol or diesel through the hole in a lid of a plastic bottle over all surface of stagnant water in the various shafts,water tanks,basement & else where .  .Kerosene/petrol spreads over the surface of water killing all larvae.It does not kill eggs ,pupa & adults.It has to be repeated after 4 days to kill any larvae which have emerged from the remaining eggs.Adults may be killed by one time fogging.After that koil may be squeezed every 7^th day.Water tanks should be kept covered with oversize covers .Shafts should be got cleaned of visible debris frequently .Stagnant water should be evacuated as frequently as possible.

If people can interact with the supervisors/contractors/owners & apprise them of these measures,it can be of great help in reducing breeding of dengue mosquitoes

Dr VK Aggarwal