By Joey Aguilar/Staff Reporter
The searing temperature coupled with high humidity seemed to have triggered the proliferation of cockroaches in many flats and villas in the country, a number of Doha residents told Gulf Times.
Some expatriates living in East Al Hilal admitted that they have a hard time dealing with cockroaches which they said are multiplying rapidly.
A female resident who had stayed for about eight years in a building in the area observed that cockroaches would surface in their flat at the onset of summer.
“I know they usually thrive in kitchens and toilets, and would frequent waste bins but I find it irritating to see them inside our electric kettle, rice cooker and in the drawer of kitchen utensils,” she said. “Then they start spreading in various areas inside our room.”
The housewife recounted that she spent a day cleaning their flat including the kitchen just to make sure all cockroaches have been eliminated.
However, she was disappointed to see them coming out from cabinets and wooden boxes placed under the bed.
In the same building, another expatriate shared the same experience saying she finds it difficult to get rid of the cockroaches.
She had used different kinds of sprays (insecticides) and powders but the problem persisted .
“I don’t want to rely on insecticides because I believe they can also pose serious health risks especially when they are used more often,” she pointed out.
She said her friends who live in some of the old buildings in the Najma area also face the same dilemma.
A couple said they usually cannot easily sleep at night fearing that cockroaches, especially the small ones, could enter their ears or nose.They are mulling to shift to a new flat just to “have peace of mind”.
Several people from different parts of the country, particularly Doha, have complained about the sudden swell in the number of cockroaches in their residential units.
In some of the online forums, long-time Doha residents have suggested ways to fight the menace like cleaning the house regularly.
Food items should always be kept in closed containers and people must see to it that dishes and other utensils should be washed immediately after eating.
Others had suggested calling pest control people to do the work especially for bigger houses.
The Ministry of Municipality and Urban Planning has Pest Control departments working under the respective municipalities. Residents, both citizens and expatriates, can avail of the services rendered by these departments. The facility is also open to offices and companies. Those who want to seek the service have to submit a formal application. The service can also be requested by phone, fax or in person, according to information available on the ministry’s website.
While the service is free for citizens and residents employed by state institutions and government authorities, others have to pay a fee.
However, the idea may not sit well for those who have children and pets at home unless they have an alternative building or villa to stay.
Many supermarkets have been relying on pest control firms to keep their establishments safe from cockroaches, certain pests and insects.
“We don’t wait for authorities to come and impose penalties for failing to meet certain standards on cleanliness and food safety,” a supervisor of a leading supermarket told Gulf Times. “I also suggest the same thing to residents, it maybe a little costly but it is effective.”
Banking on practical solutions, she pointed out that cleanliness and orderliness remained to be an effective way to prevent the proliferation of cockroaches.
