Residents suffer sleepless nights, eye and respiratory infection, as Red Flour Beetles from FCI godown swarm houses

Residents near FCI godown plagued by Red Flour Beetles causing sleepless nights, eye infections, respiratory issues seek fumigation.

Residents living closer to the Food Corporation of India godown storing food grains at Third Mile in the city have sleepless nights and eye and respiratory infections, owing to Red Flour Beetles swarming from the food grains stored in this godown.

The Red Flour Beetles that thrive on infested grain get attracted by lights. Besides giving out an unpleasant odour, these insects cause an allergy in respiratory tract, besides inducing painful irritation in the eyes as thousands of beetles flying out from the godown and fell accidentally into the eyes of the people, mostly riding on two-wheelers.

The residents complain that the food grains stored in the FCI godowns alleged to have moisture level well above the recommended limits and the lack of sufficient fumigation had resulted in providing favourable environment for its multiplication.

“The Red Flour Beetles swarms enter our residential area in the evening after being attracted by the lights and enter the houses indiscriminately. It’s everywhere… in our clothes, beds, furniture etc. We can’t eat or drink as the beetles fall in food and water. When it falls in the eyes, we have to spend a minimum of ₹ 500 to the ophthalmologist and the eye drops to neutralize the infection. Some of us have to be admitted to the hospital for infection caused by Red Flour Beetles in the respiratory tract,” says N. Rajesh of Asirvatham Nagar near the FCI godown.

Since this menace has become an ‘annual feature’ during the period between June and December, the residents of Asirvatham Nagar, Indra Nagar, Thiru.Vi.Ka. Nagar, Shankar Colony, P and T Colony and the adjoining areas submitted petitions to the Collector and the Corporation officials last year to compel the FCI administration to properly fumigate so as to eradicate the beetles. However, the problem has resurfaced this year also.

“Even though the Red Flour Beetles do not cause any infective diseases in humans, it can cause severe allergic reactions. Flour beetles, when fall into the eye usually, cause periorbital dermatitis with or without conjunctivitis. The toxin of the bug is a weak base, which penetrates through the cornea rarely, causing keratitis. Symptoms can range from foreign body sensation, itching and watering of affected eye to keratoconjunctivitis. It is advisable not to rub the affected eye and wash it with abundant clean water. Further, avoid removing the insect from the eye by self, using cotton buds, hands, tongue etc. It is better to consult an ophthalmologist and treat it,” prescribes a doctor with Thoothukudi Government Medical College Hospital.

When the ‘pre-monsoon problem’ has started again recently, complaints were submitted to the officials and Revenue Divisional Officer, Thoothukudi, M. Prabhu conducted a probe to find that the charges being made against the FCI godown administration are genuine.