Residents of New Town’s AA Block walked around the block on Sunday in a bid to create awareness about mosquito breeding grounds and the use of plastic.

“Mosquitoes are a menace in our block, breeding in stagnant water in under-construction buildings,” said Biswajit Das, an executive committee member of New Town AA Block Welfare Association. The block is located behind the DLF building, between the football stadium and the canal.

Staff of New Town Kolkata Development Authority (NKDA) joined the walk and sprayed larvaecide in bushes and corners. “NKDA carries out fogging and sprays larvaecide in our block on Mondays. We shall supplement their effort by conducting the same drive ourselves on either Thursdays or Fridays,” said Das.

Residents pick up plastic from an empty plot Telegraph picture

The group also picked up plastic bags strewn about. NKDA CEO Animesh Bhattacharya handed out cloth bags, arranged by the block committee, and asked residents to stop plastic usage. Bags were given to all 120 families living in the block at present.

“We have taken up a challenge to ensure no one in the block brings home plastic bags from the market,” said Das. In fact, after Sunday’s rally, committee members have been patrolling the streets early morning to spot neighbours headed to the market empty-handed.

“We are ferrying neighbours home by cycle or car so they can bring along cloth bags,” said Das. “We have even told the shops that we won’t allow them to do business here unless they stop giving out plastic bags.”