Kolkata (West Bengal): Remember the Pied Piper - the legendary flutist who charmed the rats away to save the city of Hamelin. Kolkata might need another Pied Piper as multitude of rodents have made their subterranean abode beneath the foundations of the city and are steadily gnawing away the city’s vitality threatening to bring the metropolis to its knees.
Apprehending that the looming menace lurking beneath the vibrant surface of the city might push Kolkata to the doorsteps of an epidemic, Mayor of the city Firhad Hakim on Friday said, “People consume food outdoors and discard their waste on the streets, which becomes a significant food source for rats. It is crucial for street food vendors to refrain from disposing of their waste on the roadside and instead make appropriate arrangements for its proper disposal”.
“They should explore methods to process the food waste or ensure its disposal at the designated Dhapa dumping ground, where the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) will handle it to produce fertilizers. In case of any violations of these regulations, notices will be issued to the respective food vendors to address the issue,” the mayor added.
Giving a live example of Dhakuria bridge in Southern fringes of the city, Hakim said that the rats are nibbling the soil beneath the major infrastructure of the city which is loosening the surface which might lead to an automatic collapse.
Issuing a strong warning that these seemingly innocuous rats have been stealthily wreaking havoc beneath the city's bustling streets, the mayor said, “In order to deter rats from Dhakuria bridge, we had to mix glass with cement. However, there has been a significant surge in the rat population, particularly in areas like AJC Bose Road near Haldiram. If this situation is not addressed promptly, there is a genuine concern of a potential plague outbreak in the near future”.
The mayor advised curtailing the proliferation of rats across other thoroughfares, disrupting their breeding patterns, and limiting their presence. In a clarion call for preparedness, an appeal to the collective consciousness to fortify the city against an encroaching menace that could rear its head within the next two decades, the mayor said, “If caution was not exercised diligently and promptly, Kolkata, too, could be engulfed in the throes of an epidemic”.
With careless disposal of food being the root cause behind the incessant growth of the rodents, the mayor appealed for a conscious civic behaviour and strong determination which can only curtail the presence and disturb their breeding pattern. The pied Piper of Hamelin saved the city with his magical flute, captivated the rodents with his enchanting music but only to bury them under the water. Centuries later the collective wisdom of the people can serve as the pied piper to save the city from its impending threat.
