War against mosquitoes a must

Kerala has become the repository of mosquito-generated diseases. In 2007, chikungunya, proved to be fast escalating. Even units of the Armed Forces were called in to contain the disease. In 2006, Alappuzha district was hit hard. Last year, nearby Pathanamthitta and Kottayam districts were paralysed by this disease. Of course, other districts such as Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Ernakulam and Idukki were also noted for the attack of chikungunya. The normal life of a majority of people living in the affected districts was virtually crippled.

Dengue fever, Japanese encephalitis, malaria and filarial have all been fatally troubling the people of Kerala for quite a long time. But the onslaught of chikungunya has had a debilitating effect. The affected people were not able to move around, let alone report for work in fields or offices. It has been a life double bent, by way of physical disability and denial of income as the victims were not able to work. The disease affects the victims for months together.

Alas, the disease has escaped remedial treatment. The patients were being given paracetamol and allied medicines to alleviate their pain. There is no system of vaccination or inoculation to prevent or contain the disease.

Chikungunya permeates human bodies as it pleases, untrammeled by the ferocity of any medicine. Of course, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology in Thiruvananthapuram, has been attempting to develop a vaccine against the disease.

The only plausible solution lies in eradicating mosquitoes which carry the virus. Decades ago, when malaria became widespread, DDT was widely used to destroy mosquitoes. Now DDT appears to be harmful for human beings. Various countries are experimenting with methods to develop organic insecticides and disinfectants. Many such products are available also. Therefore a gigantic and all-encompassing project should be evolved and executed meticulously, covering all the districts of the state for destroying mosquitoes. Now is the proper time to evolve strategies as mosquito-generated diseases envelop the state during June-November period.

In fact, the problem of wastes, impurities and rubbish lying heaped at almost all places in the state is a revolting experience for all of us. We have only tinkered with this gargantuan issue. There should be meticulous programmes to take care of every inch of land and water spaces in the matter of managing wastes and impurities. Impurities-free Kerala should be the target, which should be achieved without delay.

The government, the local bodies, educational institutions and non-governmental organisations, should be able to drive out the mosquito menace. We have been successful in implementing the total literacy programme. Therefore, it should be possible to eradicate mosquitoes, provided we have the compendious will to do it.