Rats in the kitchen .... : and everywhere else

Ban on rat poison identified as the main reason for the rodent infestation in Colombo and the suburbs:

by Carol Aloysius

The city of Colombo already reeling under threats of food and water borne diseases following the recent rains, has now encountered a new enemy- rats: From the onset of the monsoon and even as early as March, the rat population in the metropolis has continued to leap. It has fuelled fears and panic of an outbreak of Leptospirosis (Rat Fever). The disease has recently shown a disturbing new trend of moving towards major towns and cities from paddy farming and other agricultural districts where it was once widely prevalent.

According to Colombo Municipal Council (CMC)sources, reports of a high concentration of rats have been received mostly in the Fort, Maradana and Borella areas where they lurk waiting for their next prey, hiding in dark corners of buildings, sewerage pits, garbage collection spots and inside homes.

Is this a normal occurrence? Or are we seeing a new phenomenon, rarely witnessed by Colombo residents in recent years?

It is certainly not a normal occurrence, says the CMC which admits it is facing a barrage of complaints from Colombo residents of rats roaming around their neighbourhood, workplaces and homes and gardens.

Several Municipal labourers have also complained, adding to this rapidly lengthening list of complaints from householders and institutions.

“We are now trying to identify the places where they breed and thereafter we will plan our strategies for a major Rat Control Plan.

It will be a collective effort where our staff will focus attention to identify and find ways to eliminate these rodents which could pose a serious health risk,” Deputy Public Health Chief Medical Officer, CMC, Dr Mrs Geethika Ratnawardene told the Sunday Observer.

When questioned about what has prompted this explosion of rats in Colombo, she said “The main cause was the ban on rat poison by the Registrar of Pesticides an year and a half ago. “This was due to the fact that rat poison used in areas like the North Central Province by farmers to protect crops from rats, contained an active anti coagulant ingredient, known as Cumarine and minute amounts of arsenic, which researchers said was one of the reasons for the spread of kidney diseases in these districts. As a result rats began to breed rapidly, since a single rat can have as many as six offspring at a time. Some of these rats also made their way to crowded towns and cities as well as Colombo hidden in gunny loads of rice, dhal and other cereals which they like to feed on.

Commenting on the current situation, she said “We recently obtained a stock of rat poison, which they were told did not contain arsenic. It resembles tiny cakes of soap. If eaten by a rat family in a communal meal, it can result in instant death since it causes the shutting down of all the organs. But it should be kept out of reach of children as it is highly poisonous and fatal if a child ingests it accidentally,” he warned.

Intelligent and selective

“The problem however is that rats which are intelligent and selective animals, will opt for the food found in cafeterias and homes rather than taking the poison set for them. Hence all food waste served in cafeterias and homes should be disposed of in a way that rats cannot access them”, he stressed. “Educating the public about food disposal is included in our Grand Rat Control Plan, she said.

Questioned about the Grand Plan, she said it would be implemented. Chief Municipal Public Health Officer Dr Ruwan Wijemuni had said the Plan was ready and the strategies had been now finalized. “We began implementing it from October 1, as we have now identified high risk sites. They are mainly in the Fort, Pettah, Maradana, Borella, Wellawatte, and in condominiums and low income settlements in North Colombo, Modera and Mattakuliya.

“Under our Plan, we have appointed six teams to cover the six districts in Colombo – two teams for Colombo Central and one each for North Colombo, Colombo East, Colombo West and Borella. In addition, we also have a central team which serves residents anywhere in the city. If a person has a rat problem in his home or work place he can contact our Chief Public Health Inspector on out hotline : 2696594. He will then immediately dispatch a central team which will give the callers rat poison and instruct them on how to use them and to keep it away from children’s reach.

The Sunday Observer also spoke to the CMC Drainage supervisor who oversees the Wellawatte, Dehiwela, Bambalapitiya and adjacent areas. He explained that rats live in polluted habitats, on roads where gullies and manholes have been removed for repair or broken and in sewerage systems, But most of all they breed inside homes which are unclean. “I have 20 labourers in our Wellawatte office on the top floor of the market.

Their business is mainly handling internal blockages found inside homes. In most cases they have found dead rats in these blockages caused by food waste entering the pipe lines.”

Underground pipes

He ruled out the possibility of rats proliferating in underground pipes laid out by the National Drainage and Water supply Board . “These are pipes are usually 4,6,9 and 12 inches thick and any rat caught inside can easily get flushed. The only possibility of them getting stuck is if the pipes have rusted and broken (in the case of iron pipes laid long ago) or there is a crack in a PVC pipe. Our manholes are also only eight feet deep and four feet wide so it is easy for a rat to escape.

The main culprits are the private pipe lines leading to the inside of a house which is much narrower and is thus easy for rats to get stuck inside them. If the houses are close to each other, there is a danger of the rats running into neighbouring houses”, he adds.

As for the solution, he said the best way was to keep the inside of the home clean. Don’t dump food waste such as trimmings from vegetable and leaves or left over food into your sink . Put it inside a separate bag and leave it for the dustbin collectors on the morning they collect them. Furthermore , non degradable items such as tampons which most ladies use these days must never be flushed down the toilet bowl. Bury them or get rid of them in a separate container.

“As for the Chief MOH , CMC Dr Wijemuni, his word of advice is; “People must change their life style and take accountability for habitats which allow rats to breed., such as food waste. Rats inside homes usually breed in food cupboards especially those containing cereals like dhall and rice. Lockers and cupboards with old clothes also make excellent hiding places for rats.

So this has to be a co-operative effort. If everyone accepts the fact that that he or she is to blame for rats breeding inside homes, and takes effective remedial action , with our support, we can eliminate this problem. If not although we don’t have plague, this disease can enter out country as well” , he warned.

Secretary, Young Zoologists Society, Parami said rats were an endemic species with several types of rats found in Sri Lanka in different districts.

“They can cause different diseases according to the species e.g. Meeruna is found in Gampaha and some parts of the Southern Province.

The fact that their habitats are changing is also part of a natural process,” he added. “No in-depth national study had been done on rats upto now,” he said.