Rats nibble into rlys claim of pest control

Manmeet Singh Gill

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, May 7

The railway authorities here are grappling with the problem of rodents as they continue to burrow holes under the railway tracks, thus weakening their strength. Officials at the railway station said the population of rats was increasing with time as they get sufficient food to survive under the tracks.

“People often throw food leftovers on the tracks which has increased the population of rats. However, it is a cause of concern as rats are loosening the ground beneath the track poles,” said an official.

With around 180 trains arriving or leaving from the local railway station, it is visited by around 50,000 people every day. Besides causing inevitable threat to tracks, the rats are also responsible for unhygienic conditions at the place.

The rat burrows can be easily spotted alongside the railway platforms as well as tracks near the station. The railway authorities had earlier planned to engage a pest control firm to end the menace but it could not be done because of want of approval from the senior authorities of the department.

“The problem of rodents is common at all railway stations as instead of using dustbins people throw waste food on the tracks which helps rodents,” said an official, stating that they had pointed out the problem to the higher authorities years ago.

A vendor at the station said large-sized rats could be easily spotted roaming on the tracks near platforms. “The passengers must not throw food leftovers. It would help as the rodents would move to other areas where food is easily available.”

The railway authorities stated that the department adopted pest and rodent control measures from time to time to control their population. “The proposal for hiring a firm to control the population of rodents has been forwarded and work would be started as soon as it is approved,” said a senior official.