In a first, the BMC's insecticide department has eliminated 2,080, a highest number of rats in a single day in G north ward (Mahim, Dharavi, Dadar areas). To keep several diseases like plague and leptospirosis at bay, the BMC regularly carries out rat killing mission.
A pest control official along with 13 supervisory staff and 45 workers of G North' ward carried out the drive on Thursday. Around 55 kg of wheat flour was mixed with a mixture of zinc phosphide and celphos and left in 9,065 holes in Dadar, Dharavi and Mahim areas on Thursday. When the team checked those holes the next day that is on Friday, they found 2,080 dead rats.
The civic body has around 130 workers for the day shift and has 27 for the night shift. There is no target for the daytime workers, however, the night staff has a target of killing at least 30 rats every night. Notably, the outsourced manpower has to kill at least 100 rats each night. Apart from the civic staffers, the BMC appoints private agencies for the odd job having a fees of Rs23 against each rat killed.
