Dubai: Residents in several Dubai communities are complaining about the presence of mosquitoes in their communities, claiming the problem has worsened over time.
Bachelors and families with children in Jumeirah Village Circle (JVC), Dubai Investments Park (DIP), and mainly in the Green Community (GC), have shared their concerns about the increasing number of mosquitoes in the area, many referring to stagnant water as the root cause of the problem.
Residents told Gulf News they are frustrated with the situation, as they are unable to spend evenings outdoors with their children.
Union Properties told Gulf News that the developer is aware of the problem and is working on finding a solution.
Canadian-Lebanese Bassam Ayass, a Green community resident, said he chose to invest in the community less than a year ago, when he bought a house for its “suburban feel”. “It is practically one of the few places in Dubai that can give our kids the same childhood my wife and I had — the trees, greenery, and nature all around the beautiful houses with low fences and an opportunity to mingle with neighbours. But then the mosquito problem appears and reality hits,” he said.
Ayass, who lives in the west side of the community, said his children are often stuck indoors to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes. “They can’t last five minutes outside without being harassed by mosquitoes. My son is almost two years old and loves being outdoors, but we are forced to confine him inside as he is very sensitive to mosquito bites,” he added.
Another resident, who asked to remain anonymous, said he believes the community’s management should have an effective fogging operation to resolve the mosquito issue.
“They only fog the roads in the community, which misses most of the green areas that are to the rear of most properties. They need to fog all garden areas every other day on foot with hand-held fogging machines to reduce the problem,” he said. He also pointed out that the ponds and lakes are becoming a breeding ground.
British resident Cathy Stewart said she has lived in the east side of the community for nine years, and has seen the mosquito problem worsen over time. “I have always loved this community, it’s a little oasis in the desert — but we have always had a problem with mosquitoes, and now it has got much worse,” she said.
Stewart pointed out the community management has been fogging the area, however the problem has not been solved. “Residents complain that they are fogging again, but the company is obviously not using the right product. In the daytime, the mosquito issue is fine, but around 6pm every day, they attack,” she said. Stewart complained she can’t leave the house without wearing long clothes or spraying herself with repellent spray. “I was out last night around 6.15pm talking to my neighbour, and within 10 minutes, I had massive bites,” she said.
Many residents in the Green Community have also commented on the growing mosquito problem on social media, complaining that their children are suffering from allergies and bites on a daily basis. “We live in the west side of the community, and even if I spray myself and the kids with repellent spray we are still getting swollen from the bites. The management needs to treat the lakes and fog not just around the houses but between the houses and the pathways,” a resident commented.
Another resident said: “I have to have all windows/doors closed by 4pm so we don’t get bitten in the house overnight. My daughter who is three years-old, loves the park/garden but if she’s outside past 5.30pm, she comes back with bites- despite wearing mosquito repellent sunscreen. It is an amazing place to live but the mosquitos rule.”
The community management said the mosquitoes are due to the stagnant water, which was caused by the heavy rain and wind that took place in March.
“We are working hard to reduce current mosquito populations in the Green Community while also communicating with Dubai Investments Park to have a prevention solution for the current mosquitoes as we cannot control the surrounding areas. We understand the importance of keeping mosquitoes away for both the comfort and safety of our residents,’ said a spokesperson.
They added that a pest control team is “providing the most effective mosquito prevention through space spray against mosquitoes four times a week, followed by mosquito fogging application to ensure that every corner in our community is controlled”.
Another community
Also facing the same struggle in Dubai Investment Park, a resident who asked to remain anonymous said the mosquito problem also extends to his area. “You should see the clouds of mosquitos by Greenfield School. There are ponds of stagnant water in various spots in DIP and along the new highway. There is a massive pond of stagnant water right beside GC-South side. So fogging in the Green community alone isn’t going to do much good,” she said.
Meanwhile, Harvey Waje, a Filipino sales executive, who is a resident in Jumeirah Village Circle, also complained that mosquitoes first appeared in the area after the March 9 rains. “Before, we would just leave our balcony doors open when we’re home. Now, we have to close it because mosquitoes come in. The developer should do a pest control soon. We don’t know where they’re coming from but I can say this for sure, they are as big as the ones in the Philippines,” he said.
Nakheel, developer of JVC told Gulf News: “Nakheel recently carried out pest control treatment in several communities, including JVC. Since then, we have received no complaints or concerns from residents. Should the situation change, we will naturally take further steps for treatment as appropriate.”
