Health team detects breeding at Games Village, says sanitation pathetic

A team of health officials today detected mosquito breeding at the Commonwealth Games Village site in east Delhi and found that the general sanitation of the area was "pathetic".

The MCD had in this season found mosquito breeding in the Games Village and other sites several times and the inspection tour by the chairman of the MCD health committee VK Monga along with officials of the central government, the Delhi government and the MCD was aimed at analysing the factors responsible for breeding.

Representatives of the construction agency also joined the team.

Monga said the area between the Yamuna river bed and Games Village is full of multiple ditches and troughs. The problem is multiplied by the low-lying area between the Games Village and railway track. Coupled with environmental factors like low temperature and high humidity, it is making the site conducive to breeding, the team felt.

"Basements of the towers were also inspected and mosquito breeding was observed in the drain in the basement. Representatives from Ahluwalia construction company (project contractor) were requested to get the area treated," the MCD said in a statement.

"They (the company) also agreed to provide 20 labourers daily to carry out spraying in collaboration with staff of surveillance post of (MCD) health department posted at Games Village," it said.

"The overall general sanitation of the area was pathetic and representatives from construction agency were requested to improve the general sanitation of the area," it said.

The municipal health officer informed that insecticide treated bed nets have also been provided by the health department, MCD to all labourers and regular fogging is being carried out.

Experts from the Directorate of National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) and National Institute of Malaria Research (NIMR) advised that indoor residual spray may be carried out using synthetic pyrethroids on the walls of rooms of Games Village.

A water body has been created in the training area of the Games Village complex. Experts from the NVBDCP and the NIMR advised that larvae-eating Gambusia fish may be introduced as biological control measures.

Monga felt that the DMRC may also be requested for taking anti-larvael measures in the area under their jurisdiction and filling of low-lying areas.