Chennai: A high level medical team from Central public health department conducted a two-day inspection at the Chennai international airport looking out for mosquito larvae.
Irked about recent online complaints to Airports Authority of India by international passengers informing that Chennai airport and its premises were infested with mosquitoes, the 12-member medical team inspected runway, waiting hall and the cargo section of the airport.
According to Chennai airport sources, the team began its visit on Wednesday and expressed shock over seeing large number of aedes agypti mosquitoes that causes dengue within the airport area.
The team also pulled up airport health authorities for the substandard maintenance and instructed the staff to remove stagnant water and buses near runway and cargo areas.
For the past two months, there were mosquito menace complaints and now there has been instructions to intensify anti-mosquito measures like fumigation and spraying of larvicide, sources said. A report is being prepared by the central team and the airport health department was pulled up by the Central team. The staff also complained to the central team that the contractors appointed to the handle the mosquitoes and pests were doing substandard works.
Efforts to contact airport health officer Dr Swarnakumari, proved futile as the airport staff remained tight lipped and denied information to the media about fumigation and mosquito menace.
When contacted G. Chandramoulee, Chennai airport director maintained that the central health team’s visit was a routine check up. “I am waiting for the report from the airport health officer in this regard and we are taking all steps to make the airport a better place for passengers,” the director told DC.
