Schools in Telangana reopened on June 13, on a day when the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the southwest monsoons have arrived in some parts of the state.

The reopening of schools also comes amid a spike in dengue cases, with over 150 cases being reported from various parts of Hyderabad, according to the Directorate of Public Health and Family Welfare, Telangana.

The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has been conducting special drives of ‘Anti Larval Operations’ at schools. These consist of a single round of standard pyrethrum spray followed by targeted action by fogging machines the next day.

“We are in the process of conducting this operation for 325 government schools in the Charminar Zone and for 359 private schools based on their independent requirements,” said N Srinivas, Senior Entomologist, Charminar Zone.

Dengue awareness campaigns were conducted among the Town Level Federation (TLF), Slum Level Federation (SLF), and local women groups last month, as per official reports. The State Entomology Department has also identified and marked several low-lying areas which are prone to waterlogging and likely to become the origin of vector-borne diseases.

For the past two years, Hyderabad has been inundated following heavy rain ranging from 12-20 centimetres across the city. The Charminar Zone, which is circle 6 of the 30 circles of GHMC, was one of the most affected by heavy rain. Other affected areas included Saidabad, Musheerabad, Bahadurguda, Kapra, Marredpally, Nampally, and Asifnagar.

In light of the torrential rainfall witnessed in the past, the municipal body has its work cut out for the upcoming months. However, the current heat conditions have also made it difficult to carry out the fogging operations efficiently. “Fogging operations have been reduced by 50 per cent across all GHMC circles due to 40-42 degrees Celsius temperatures,” said Srinivas.

The GHMC and the Musi River Development Corporation (MRDCL) have also installed Mosquito Elimination Machines (MEMs) on a special trial basis at various locations in Hyderabad. Other innovative interventions include portable fogging machines that can spray at distances between 1-1.5 km. These machines are also connected to the Internet of Things (IoT) devices that help track operations efficiently on mobile phones.

Ashwita is an intern with The Indian Express.

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