Częstochowa residents alerted of rat infestation by city hall
The Municipal Services Centre in Częstochowa announced that they would place around 500 bait stations in the central part of the city. This is in response to the rodent infestation that occurred last year. Łukasz Kot, the head of the institution, says that the city is "treating this year's action more as a preventive measure."
Częstochowa is a city in the southern region of Poland, specifically in the Silesian Voivodeship. It is a significant centre for culture, economy, and religion. The city is renowned for the Marian Sanctuary of Jasna Góra, one of the most important religious destinations in our country and Central and Eastern Europe. It is a common pilgrimage site for Catholics from all over the globe.
Częstochowa infested by rats
Częstochowa has been facing the problem for several years now. A plague of rats infested the city some time ago, and since then, these rodents have been causing trouble for the residents. The sight of rats has become so common that it has become a nuisance for the locals. The situation was so dire that the rats were even seen wandering around the city centre, causing panic and chaos among the people. The authorities received criticism for their inability to tackle the situation, so they organised rat exterminations to address the issue.
City authorities back in action
In 2023, however, the scope of the infestation decreased significantly. There were fewer rats, but there were still situations where residents or tourists complained about their presence. Despite this, the municipality and the Municipal Services Centre (Polish: Centrum Usług Komunalnych, CUK) decided to play it safe and organise extermination this year as well. According to the head of the municipal services centre, Łukasz Kot: "Last year we saw an improvement so we are treating this year's action more as a preventive measure".
CUK recently announced that the next rat control will take place in Najświętszej Maryi Panny Avenue, Solidarności Square, Rada Europy Square, Staszic Park and the area next to the demolished Merkury department store. All these locations are in the centre of Częstochowa and a total of around 500 bait stations will be placed there. The fight with rats will continue until the city officials are certain their entire population is controlled.
"We are taking all necessary measures to keep the rats away. We work together with the waterworks to control the rat population in the sewers, but we have no control over private property. Unfortunately, rats often inhabit the cellars of tenements," Łukasz Kot admits. "It is not allowed to leave food on the streets, but unfortunately people often leave uneaten fast food in the streets. This is detrimental to birds and attracts rodents," he adds.
Source: Gazeta Wyborcza
