Rajpur ward resident Vamanrao Lakhe has lodged an unusual complaint with the municipal corporation after he was bitten by mosquitoes, alleging that the insect could be a carrier of dengue fever. The man, identified as Daulal Patel, killed the mosquitoes and brought them in a sealed packet to the civic body office, demanding action against the mosquito menace in his neighbourhood.
A video of the incident that appeared on X shows Patel informing a paramedic that he had consulted a doctor who advised him to get tested for mosquitoes. Acting on the advice, Patel took the insect in a securely sealed polythene bag to the municipal headquarters and submitted it for examination.
According to an NDTV report, Patel was accompanied by social activist Vijay Sona and Municipal Corporation Leader of Opposition Akash Tiwari while filing the complaint. After a complaint, officials called in a doctor to examine the mosquitoes. Test results later confirmed that the insects were ordinary mosquitoes and not dengue carriers.
Social activist Vijay Sona told NDTV that he had repeatedly approached the civic authorities to raise concerns about mosquito breeding in his locality, but claimed that no concrete action had been taken. He further claimed that a member of his family had died of a mosquito-borne disease.
“This is the capital city. If this is the condition here, what must be happening in other areas?” he said.
Responding to the complaint, Raipur Municipal Corporation officials said fogging operations and anti-larval spraying would be stepped up in the affected localities. Residents, however, expressed skepticism about the assurance, noting that despite millions of rupees being spent annually on anti-mosquito measures, open drains and inadequate drainage systems continue to serve as breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
The incident has drawn public attention to concerns over mosquito control and implementation of preventive measures by civic authorities.
