Srikakulam: Mosquito menace is posing a threat to public health in Srikakulam and other municipal towns in the district, particularly in rainy season every year.
Mosquito-related diseases are spreading in all six municipal towns, Srikaku-lam, Amudalavalasa, Pala-sa, Itchapuram Palakonda and Rajam.
Every year in all the six towns about Rs 80 lakh funds are being spent by the government to prevent mosquitoes, but situation has not changed due to stagnation of water on the roads, poor drainage system, negligence in maintaining vacant places in the towns. As a result, viral fever is spreading in Srikakulam, Amudalava-lasa, Palakonda and Itcha-puram towns for the last one week.
In Amudalavalasa, about Rs 6 lakh funds were spent to prevent mosquitoes and for sanitation. Another Rs 20 lakh used by the municipal officials, in a span of four years from 2010 to 2014, but sanitary and drainage conditions are not changed.
Residents of Krishnapu-ram, Kuddiram, Chintada and other areas are facing trouble due to mosquitoes.
In Srikakulam, about Rs 50 lakh were spent to prevent mosquitoes by conducting anti-larva activities like fogging, spraying, mosquito nets from 2010 to 2014.
But sanitary situation in the town has not improved, particularly in Illisupu-ram, main market area, Balaga and other colonies due to stagnation of rain and drain water, mosquitoes are spreading rampantly. Situation is the same in Rajam, Palakonda, Itchapuram and Palasa though Rs 54 lakh funds were spent in these towns.
Seasonal diseases like fevers and diarrhoea are spreading rampantly in different mandals across Srikakulam district due to bad sanitary conditions, consum'ption of contaminated water. About 60 persons have been suffering from fevers in Rangaraya-puram in Regidi mandal for the last one week.
Due to apathetic attitude of the officials fevers are not controlled and the number of patients is rising day by day. At least 20 persons are suffering from fevers in Thotawada in Burja mandal for the last four days.
In Javam of Santhakaviti mandal, Karnena Sekhar, 40, died with dengue fever symptoms in a private hospital at Visakhapatnam on Thursday. A woman, Parri Papamma, 60 died of diarrhoea at Saradhipeta in Vajrapukotturu mandal.
