When the Cold Nanny Lost Her Teeth: Winters, Smog and Supermosquitoes

December 22, 2007

Winter solstice, when the sun shines over the Tropic of Capricorn in the Southern Hemisphere, far away from the Northern Hemisphere. Right there it shines overhead in the southern part of the globe to vent out its summer fury, and here it signals the pleasant fury of winters.

But of late, during the past two decades especially, the cold nanny has further lost its teeth. The winters have been checkmated by global warming.

Thus far, we have not had a single foggy day. Now, what are winters without the real fog?

Though there has been fog in Delhi, it is carried on its tepid back by the nuisance particles of pollution, and it is smog, which disrupts airlines and further wreaks havoc with the lungs of Delhiites.

Here in the countryside, a new breed of mosquitoes—the supermosquitoes—has cropped up, which still plagues our sleep. Even though the minimum temperature raised its freezing sight to three degrees Celsius one day to wipe out the remaining bloodsuckers, but they still remain.

Since the villages don't have a running sewage system, the latrine pits dot the area. Mosquitoes have now found new breeding grounds in the covered latrine tanks. They keep in touch with the outer world through the gas pipes, slipping in and out of the stinking corridors.

These new-age mosquitoes, big and black like houseflies, courageously carry the banner of their stinginess through the nights. They have chiding sneak peeks at the noses of villagers sticking out of quilts. They bite, have heat from the breath, and dance away to glory.

Many are now forced to keep their ceiling fans on at slow speed to ward off the nuisance.

All in all, the mosquitoes have become an all-year phenomenon.