Coming, an EC way to counter mosquito menace

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A city-based amateur scientist has come up with new methods to tackle the most dreaded mosquitoes, agents of many vector borne diseases like dengue which is now rapidly spreading in the state capital. E C Thomas, a city-based amateur scientist assures that his invention ‘Take it Eazzy’ is a mosquito buster.
The device is an energy efficient and eco-friendly contraption that Thomas invented two years ago.The device creats a conducive environment for the mosquitoes to lay eggs, which will be destroyed by the contraption. “A female mosquito usually lays around 3,000 eggs in a life cycle and destroying them helps to bring down the mosquito population drastically,” says Thomas.
The contraption has an overhead tray that is inviting to mosquitoes to breed. The bottom vent at the tank opens every ten days to flush out the larvae infested water into another chamber filled with a mixture of sand and common salt. “This chamber acts as the exterminator of the larvae with its dry and hostile conditions as the infected water is filtered in this chamber,” explains Thomas. The filtered water is drained into an evaporation chamber at the bottom of the unit. “However, if the house has a sewage facility the evaporation chamber can be avoided and instead the drained water can be directly allowed to drain into the sewage facility,” he adds.
Thomas also confirms that the device uses no toxic, corrosive or environmental detrimental materials. “One mosquito coil, studies have shown, are as injurious as smoking a 100 cigarettes,” he said. The device works on the principle of physics. “There is only gravity, buoyancy and atmospheric pressure involved. Completely energy efficient, you see,” says Thomas.
The device can be installed anywhere inside or outside the building. “Moreover, unlike the other mosquito repellents people use that needs constant replenishment, replacement or refilling, this device serves lifetime purpose and is a fix-and-forget product,” he promises.
Meanwhile, Thomas laments that there has been no support from the government for the development of his device. “The Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment has denied grant on the basis of unscientific and irrational arguments. It’s a shame,” he says. “However, I am not giving up without a fight,” he adds.