What's the buzz on open-air dining in Pune?

Can Pune''s pesky mosquito derail your social life for weeks? It appears that the dining out experience in popular, open air restaurants in the city, has been seriously affected thanks to the ubiquitous mosquito''s deadly bites.
Even a small puncture can lead to malaria or even a skin allergy that can spiral into something more serious.
Each year, just before the monsoon hits the city, Pune''s scenic outdoor restaurants, turn into an insect zoo. From flying insects to mosquitoes, various flying fiends can be found having a field day at the diners'' expense. Which is why, most Puneites swear off such places for a few months.
Supriya Mohite who is a frequent restaurant-goer enjoys the mood and milieu at open air eateries in the city. But she stays away from them when the monsoon is round the corner. "It''s impossible to go to any of the open restaurants when the mosquito menace is at its peak.
So I avoid going there completely. In any case, I hate the smell of all the insect sprays and creams," she says. Sadashiv Patole, Departmental Head, Insect Control Department -PMC, says that they try and tackle the insect menace during the monsoon by carrying out regular repellent drives. "The entire city is sprayed over with chemicals like bitex and mineral larvaecide oil to tackle the problem of mosquitoes."
But not every Puneite says that this is of particular help when they go out.Take for instance, student Shruti Karnik,who went to a garden restaurant last week and got bitten by so many mosquitoes that she forgot all about the sumptuous food. Her feet were covered with several bites and she had to actually leave midway. She says, "Ever since then, I have sworn off going to open air restaurants. It''s better to be safe than sorry."
Sohrab Chinoy of ABC farms feels that the mosquito menace is far worse during the summer months. "I have observed that when the natural balance among plants and trees on my farm is disturbed, the menace gets worse. There are certain plants that attract mosquitoes and others that detract them.
So,we try to contain the problem by maintaining the balance. Since we have an organic herb farm on campus, we cannot spray chemicals around. It would defeat our purpose, so instead we resort to natural methods. For instance, when coconut and neem leaves are burnt, the smoke created helps to repel all kinds of insects. This has proved more effective than any of the chemical treatments."