KOTA KINABALU: Residents of Austral Park are questioning the persistent fogging in their neighbourhood amid concerns of an construction site might be a breeding ground for the aedes mosquitoes.
Health Department personnel have been fogging in the area for over a week but the problem remains persistent, according to a resident Ronal Cooke.
“I am happy that they are fogging the area as families here are at risk of contracting dengues. I thank the Health Department for their efforts,: he said.
However, Cooke asked the Health Department to provide residents with an updated figure on the number of cases involved at Asutral Park.
He said most residents want to know the severity of the dengue situation and take necessary action to protect our families.
“I asked a one of the health department personnel fogging my house area about the ned for continued fogging. He explained to me there were higher number of dengue cases within the housing area.
“He told me that they also issued a notice to stop work at the construction site for 12-days. However, the health official explained that the contractor started work about three days later,” Cooke said.
Cooke said the health officials could not explain why they were allowed to resume and if all the possible aedes mosquito breeding grounds have been destroyed within the site.
“I beleive most of us in Austral Park generally maintain our gardens and remove any possible mosquito breeding sites,” he said.
Though welcoming the fogging exercises being carried out continuously in their housing estate, he asked if there were any efforts done to check on the construction site for breeding grounds especially with the current rainy season.
He also asked Dewan Bandarraya Kota Kina Ali on its actions to clean-up the drains as mnu of it was clogged.
“Since the construction begun and the damages to our area, has been ignored. A good road is now collapsing and no action is forthcoming.
“Even the drains now are clogged,” he added
Cooke had previously raised concerns about the construction works near his and called KOta Kinabalu City Hall Mayor Datuk Seri Sabin Samitah to act as their houses were being damaged as well the public road in the housing estate by the piling works for the multi-storey complex.
“It’s sad that the Mayor is not responding to the issue faced by the residents. He is responsible to the ratepayers afterall DBKK approved the construction of the building.
“DBKK cannot just approve and leave it to the ratepayers to live with their problems they are faced with construction of the building.
DBKK cannot be just be focused on parking issues and towing vehicles and forget their responsibility to the ratepayers,he said.
“If you cannot do the job, it is best to quit and give it someone else who cares for the city and its people,” he added.
