PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/ Nainital
The picturesque Nainital, known world-wide for its beautiful lake, has been facing a peculiar problem with rodents burrowing the iconic walls of the banks. Notably, a wall had been built along the lake years ago, but it has been weakening from within due to the rats ceaselessly gnawing at it. The rat menace is not just confined to the wall but it is spreading fast in the land surrounding the Band Stand, causing land subsidence. The Nainital municipal council seems at its wits’ end, wondering how it could end this rat-gnawing menace once and for all.
The executive officer of the Nainital municipal board, Rohitash Sharma stated that the rat population has been increasing apace along Mallital Lake and Tallital area. “We are going all-out to find an enduring solution to this long-continuing problem,” he said.
To address this issue, a meeting had been held under the chairmanship of the additional district magistrate for Finance and Revenue, attended by the officers of the Animal Husbandry department and the civic body.
“The rats are large here and so it is difficult to catch them with mousetraps. We had contacted the Surat municipal corporation. Their medical officer had assured us that a team would come to Nainital, but no team has yet arrived. I am still in constant contact with the civic body of Surat. We have been told, however, that if the team from Surat cannot reach, an expert from Haldwani should be called,” Sharma said.
He further said that they are also coordinating with the Animal Husbandry and Agriculture departments to address the issue. “As per the usual practice, when rat population increases in the fields, they are killed by chemical spray. But if this is done here, the rats may die and rot. Therefore, chemicals cannot be used here. We are also taking action against people who throw foodstuffs in the open,” he added.
