At least two under-construction buildings in Sector 1 have been accumulating water in their plots and neighbours are worried about them breeding mosquitoes by the dozen.

“Previously we would have to shut doors and windows after dark but ever since this plot has been collecting stagnant water we have to keep them shut even during the day,” says Namrata Basak, who lives opposite AD 190, the under-construction building where water is accumulating. “Look closely and you see mosquito larvae dotting the water surface. Mosquito repellent, sprays, nets — nothing is keeping us safe.”

The plot has bricks, stones and soil dug up, heaped and scattered about and since work is not regular, it has become a public urinal for men and street dogs alike. The pool of water in their midst has turned green. “It is ground water, rainwater and water from an exposed water pipe whose tap got stolen,” says Subrata Kundu, who lives next to the plot. “Since no one was bothered about the water wastage from the pipe I sent someone to tie a cloth at its mouth and reduce the flow.”

Larvae in the water at AD Block. (Picture sourced by The Telegraph)

Water accumulated at an under-construction plot in AC 6. (Picture sourced by The Telegraph)

Neighbours have made a couple of trips to the ward office since December but their complaints have yielded ad hoc responses. “Instead of speaking to the builders, draining the water or speeding up work, health workers came for fogging and sprayed larvicide,” says Kundu. “If we residents have even a flower pot brimming with water they create a hue and cry but they’re not bothered about a mini pond next door!”

AC 6 is another plot with the same problem. In fact, the water is spread over a much larger area here. “It’s been like this for a month now. We haven’t seen any work going on and mosquitoes are having a field day biting us,” said an employee of the furniture store next door. “Even though we’re a centrally air-conditioned store they enter through the gap between doors.”

At AC 7, the round-the-clock domestic help said mosquitoes had multiplied manifold since the last time she was here a year back. “There is no provision to set up a mosquito net here but I couldn’t sleep last night. I had to tie its ends to chairs and make do,” said the lady.

Local councillor Anindya Chatterjee told The Telegraph Salt Lake: “I have visited both plots. Civic workers have been sent there to spray larvicide and do fogging. Work seems to be halted at AD 190. The owner and the builder should be held accountable for not following the general practice of pouring burnt engine oil in the water which would cover the water surface with a thin film of oil and stop mosquitoes from breeding.”