Ahmedabad is currently reeling under a steady rise in mosquito-borne diseases. Notwithstanding the civic body’s nearly Rs 17 crore expense incurred in the last five years to fumigate a way out, each monsoon sees a revival of the menace. In the 2021-22 period, records point at an amount of Rs 4 crores specifically earmarked to combat the nuisance. Of this, while Rs 1.57 crore was set aside for indoor residential spray operations, Rs 1.55 crore was the aggregate for skilled labour, outsourced to “competent” organizations by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation.
Interestingly, during the 2017-18 phase, no expenditure was incurred on fogging operations. Official records, however, note Rs 1.72 crore on “indoor residential spray work.” Another Rs 1.45 crore has been billed as labour charges since the work was outsourced to organizations with manpower.
The corresponding period in 2018-19 shows Rs 99,630 spent on fogging operations and Rs 2.18 crore on indoor residential spray operations. In addition, a total of Rs 2.99 crore was spent on “controlling the cases of mosquito-borne diseases.” Additionally, an expense of nearly Rs 80 lakh has been attributed to labour charges.
Similarly, in 2019-20, nearly Rs 53.21 lakh was spent for indoor fumigation. Over and above this, an outlay of Rs 2.48 crores has been bracketed under labor charges.
In the same period the following year (2020-21), a total of Rs 4.15 crore was spent on fogging, Rs 2.12 crore on indoor residential spray and Rs 1. 28 crore for the work force.
Unfortunately, despite the tax-payer’s money spent on battling the mosquito challenge, little has changed.
Also Read: AMC Prepares For Likely Onslaught Of Vector-borne Diseases
