Denia declares war on unwanted guests

By Benny Davis

SUMMER attracts thousands of holidaymakers but unfortunately billions of unwanted guests follow in their wake -namely cockroaches, mosquitoes, rats and bacterial diseases-.  

Denia Department of health has identified this as a major problem and are attempting to win the day by seeking citizen involvement in a fight against these vile invaders. Councillor Marcela Server, has produced a brochure designed to create an awareness of the seriousness of the problem combined with tips on how to avoid infection in the home. These include, avoid the accumulation of food waste and stagnant water, keep plots clean and free of excess vegetation, store garbage in sealed containers and ensure pool maintenance is at its highest during the hot weather. The councillor also stressed that municipal rubbish collection services and green eco points should always be used at the times advised and never dump waste on adjoining plots or roadside verges.

All outbreaks of infestation are catalogued and reviewed on a weekly basis to decide what action to take. Denia environmental services also conduct a minimum of four pest control programmes a year within the municipality, including sewage treatment. Denia Mayor Ana Kringe and Noe Garcia, managing director of licensed pest control service Lokimica, stressed the importance of all citizens working closely with the town hall to keep Denia healthy and stressed that if they discover any form of infestation on their properties, they should contact the environmental services immediately through the dedicated hotline: 900 10 32 30. Noe Garcia guaranteed a response within 24 hours and stated that all treatments are designed for use in public health situations and are of low toxicity and high efficiency. He said the company has a fleet of vehicles equipped with thermal foggers and large capacity sprays and has the use of a helicopter for treatment over large areas and areas with restricted land access. Professor Ricardo Jimenez of the University of Valencia is responsible for directing campaigns and to identify treatments that are applied.