KOTTAYAM: The Tropical Institute of Ecological Sciences here has cautioned against the move to resort to aerial spraying of pesticides in Alappuzha, as recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

As per WHO stipulations, ultra-low volume aerial spraying (260 gm a ha) of malatheon is safe in urban areas only after necessary precautions are taken. As per guidelines, people should stay indoors and all water bodies, including swimming pools, should be covered, according to Punnen Kurian Venkadathu, secretary of the institute. In a place like Alappuzha, keeping water bodies covered was a near impossibility. It has also been found that aerial spraying leads to health hazards in water fauna, including fish, he said.

Studies have also proved that the chemical would be active for five days on the leaves, though its presence in the atmosphere would be at safer levels after two days, he said. The aerial spraying would also cause destruction of useful life forms such as bees, flies, and butterflies which otherwise would help in the destruction of the harmful mosquito in a natural way, he added.

Dr. Venkadath said patients should be given mosquito nets, as the disease is spread from infected persons and mosquito is only the carrier. Dr Venkadath also cautioned the people against practising self-medication.

According to him, what was needed was a targeted vector eradication programme focussing on containing pupal productivity, based on key containers and key premise indices. This can be done on the basis of a survey after a short (one-hour) training for college and school students in the district. Presence of coconut shells, old tyre, plastic bags, etc., which are the key containers, should be identified. Intensive vector eradication programme continuously for a period one or two weeks would help to contain the spread of the epidemic, he said.

Such efforts should not be confined to Alappuzha alone, but should cover other places such as Kochi and the High Ranges also, he said.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail