Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Jul 7: The boats which were used to extract sand from the rivers in the traditional manner have now been discarded, as they have the potential of becoming breeding grounds for mosquitoes. These boats could likely give rise to infectious diseases like malaria and dengue and can play havoc with people's lives.

Several such boats can be seen to have been lined up on the bank of River Falguni at Kulur. These boats were not kept here recently. In the past, they belonged to people to whom sand extraction contract was given. After the conclusion of their contract, they have abandoned the boats here. They should have at least overturned the boats but they did not do that. As such, water gets stagnated in these boats, and mosquitoes breed in such places.

There are tens of such boats near Kulur. As they are old, they are now covered by bushes and grass and therefore not easily visible. Because they are of the old model and made of inferior quality wood and that they are in that position for several years, the current contractors' dither from using them. As they are located away from people they have become ideal spots for the mosquitoes.

The current climate of alternating rain and sunshine is ideal for the mosquitoes to lay eggs which then grow into larvae. As the mosquitoes move around to a distance of one km, they pose danger to the people living nearby. The health officials should either remove these boats or at least overturn them. It is necessary for them to undertake this exercise wherever sand extraction takes place.

The health officials say that even five ml of water is enough for the mosquitoes to lay eggs and for their breeding. The officials have instructed boat owners who have anchored their boats at Bunder and other docks to see that water does not get accumulated in their boats.