CUTTACK: The civic administration is in a quandary over continuing its anti-mosquito medicine fogging operations in all the 59 wards owing to lack of funds The expenditure to carry out the operation reportedly runs into more than Rs 2.5 lakh a day.Intensified fogging operations were launched by using for the first time one hand driven automatic machine in each ward on December 16.The municipal council had approved it for a month after the civic body came under heavy flak for rise in mosquito menace due to inadequate mosquito control measures in the city.The civic body’s fogging operations till December 16 was limited to the main roads of all the wards with only two vehicle-mounted fogging machine in use thrice a week.But both the vehicle-mounted machines were withdrawn after the allotment of one hand driven automatic machine each for all 59 wards.A health wing official of Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) said fogging operations are normally launched during winter as it is the breeding season of mosquitoes.CMC health officer Umesh Panigrahi said, “According to approval of the CMC the anti-mosquito medicine fogging operations were to be done till January 15, but we will continue till January 21 as they were not done for six days owing to strikes and other disruptions.”“But to continue after that we will need approval of the corporation as the ongoing fogging operations involves heavy expenditure,” Panigrahi told TOI.The health officer conceded that continuance of fogging operations is still warranted as number of mosquitoes is still high.As part of the month-long fogging operation, one worker with one portable automatic hand driven machine has been provided to each corporator to ensure every day fogging in their respective wards.A source in the health wing said around one litre of petrol is required for starting the automatic hand driven machines and another five litres of diesel are required along with anti-mosquito medicine for fogging every day.“Around Rs 4,000 to Rs 5,000 is required to run one machine in a day putting the expenditure for running all the 59 machines at Rs 2.36 lakh to Rs 2.96 lakh per day,” an official said.Accordingly, Rs 75.65 lakh to Rs 91.44 lakh will be spent in fogging for a month.Similarly, running of a vehicle-mounted machines on the main roads involve an expenditure of more than Rs 10,000 per day. On special requisition, one of them was used on main roads of some areas for eight days since December 16, an official source said.According to the norm, municipal council meeting is held once a month. While one was held in December the one in January is yet to be convened.The term of the present council ends on February 13, said a civic body official requesting anonymity.

Stay updated with all the Latest Cuttack headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.