Residents in Thoothukudi are facing sleepless nights as an infestation of moths and pests from a godown operated by the Food Corporation of India (FCI) has caused these pests to enter their homes. The P and T Colony and Asirvatham Nagar East Residents’ Welfare Association, representing the residents of ward 15, have submitted a petition to the Collector, explaining the problems they have been experiencing due to the invasion of pests from the nearby godown.
According to the residents, the problem becomes worse during dusk when the moths and pests are attracted to the lights in their homes. This causes a considerable amount of trauma, as the flying insects can fall into the food and the tiny pests can enter the nose or ears at night. K.S. Arjunan, the president of the Welfare Association and Thoothukudi district secretary of CPI (M), who submitted the petition, believes that the FCI godown administration’s failure to control the pests and moths has resulted in these issues. He stated that residents of Asirvatham Nagar, Indra Nagar, Thiru.Vi.Ka. Nagar, Shankar Colony, P and T Colony, and the surrounding areas are all facing this problem.
The pests and moths also bite children, causing irritation and allergies. Those who ride bikes at night have also reported that the insects falling into their eyes cause prolonged irritation, sometimes requiring intervention from ophthalmologists. According to Mr. Arjunan, if proper preventive measures such as periodic fumigation of the FCI godown storage points were implemented, the moths and pests would not have multiplied to this extent.
After the affected residents submitted a petition to the Corporation’s Health Department officials, they visited the FCI godown and the nearby residential colonies a few weeks ago. They confirmed that the complaints made by the public were indeed true. However, the Health Department officials have limited authority and can only issue a notice to the FCI, demanding preventive measures to control the moth infestation in their storage premises.
An official at the FCI godown stated that they follow standard operating procedures and conduct fumigation at regular intervals, including during the pre-monsoon period. The next fumigation is scheduled for June 30th. They claim to have implemented comprehensive pest management and good storage practices to control pests effectively and prevent any loss caused by the destruction of food grains. Additionally, they mentioned that the godown staff, who also reside nearby, would not allow these problems to persist. They assured that further measures would be taken in the future to address the issue.
Despite the godown administration’s claims, the residents in Thoothukudi continue to be haunted by the invasion of moths and pests. They hope that the authorities will take immediate action to solve the problem and ensure a pest-free living environment for them.
