Residents on the warpath over growing rat menace

A rise in rat infestation has triggered a widespread rodent control campaign to stamp out the menace. A specialised pest control company has installed bait stations in different parts of the downtown area. The company has been hired by the Centre of Waste Management — Abu Dhabi to crack down on the rodent menace. An official at the centre told Gulf News that public complaints about rats had been increasing over the past several weeks. A team of experts assessed the situation and based on their recommendations to reduce rodents to safe levels and, thereby, restore the natural environmental balance, it was decided to launch the emergency action plan. The pest controllers have been using state-of-the-art equipment, traps and attractive baits. Their methods are in compliance with the international health standards for pest eradication drives, the official said. Major worry The rodent problem has been a major worry for residents, who said it is not confined to a single district in the city. "I have seen rats running around in the streets at night in Al Kuwaitat and Al Sanaiya (Industrial Area) districts," Shafiqur Rahman, a Bangladeshi expatriate, said. He said sewerage lines and gutters are the most attractive hideouts for rats. The mice have even nibbled through concrete, creating holes in several houses and shops to, access foodstuff. Thanking the authorities for launching the rodent control initiative, Mustafa Sa'adi, an Egyptian expatriate, said, "The campaign, however, needs to be more intense by looking at the scale of the problem." He said warehouses, storerooms in groceries, restaurants, and super markets served as the main sanctuaries for rats. Sa'adi said he had recently purchased almonds from a grocery and was aghast to find a rodent's tooth marks on them. "This is very dangerous and could lead to an outbreak of diseases," he warned. Abdul Razzaq, a Pakistani expatriate, said that Sanaiya district was infested with rats and urged authorities to take concrete measures to mitigate the problem. "They are all over the place. I can't pick out just one area," he said. He claims that rats have been nibbling away at electrical wires and damaging the insulation of air-conditioning units. This has led to fire incidents and other health hazards in the area, Razzaq said. Involving the public "I have spotted some of the biggest rodents here," he said, adding that even deploying cats was not proving sufficient to bring the situation under control. Public health and environment authorities must involve the general public to get tangible results from this campaign. Highlighting how rodents are carriers of diseases, Razzaq said the general public is negligent of the dangers posed by these varmins. "I think people must be educated on the mice problem and asked to play an active role in destroying rats' hideouts inside their homes and shops," Razzaq suggested. Traps out of bounds Bait stations have been placed in streets and alleys, along with a note from the pest control company, asking people not to touch or move it. For any inquiry, the public has been advised to call on 600 523330.