Mumbai: Ahead Of Monsoon BMC's Intensive Drive Uncovers 209 Mosquito Breeding Sites Infested With Malaria

Mumbai: The BMC's insecticide department has found 209 breeding spots infested with larvae of malaria and 1,644  spots of dengue in a week's drive. A notice was served to 5,252 residential and commercial complexes between January and March who had failed to maintain their premises in mosquito-proof conditions. 

Ahead of the monsoon, the insecticide department manually traces and destroys mosquito breeding spots across the city. A drive is conducted in slum and slum-like areas in the joint actions of Pest Control, medical officer of health, Solid Waste management and maintenance department to remove odd articles. Intensive indoor thermal fumigation is carried out in localities where vector breeding is detected as well as where dengue patients are residing. Though these measures are carried out throughout the year, special drives are conducted during the monsoon.

As per the data, the insecticide department has found 3,152 breeding sources for Anopheles mosquitoes spreading Malaria, and 33,000 Aedes mosquitoes spreading dengue from January to April. The BMC have introduced an app 'Mumbai Against Dengue' in 2022. "The app will have a list of spots infested with larvae of dengue and malaria and also talk about the precautions that can be taken to prevent the breeding of mosquitoes," said a civic official.

The BMC issues letters to all societies and commercial premises informing them to take the necessary precautions to prevent mosquito breeding in their premises. These include removal of odd articles kept in the open, which might collect rainwater in the monsoon. Legal action is taken against those who fail to prevent mosquito breeding.