BMC struggles to tackle mosquito menace in Mumbai

A BMC worker treating a nullah

With temperatures in the city dropping, several residents have started complaining about the increasing number of mosquitoes in their area. Culex mosquitoes, which do not transmit dengue or malaria, but bite and breed in stagnant water like gutters, nullah and creeks, are proving to be a menace. The inaccessible storm water drainage system, say BMC officials, is making the task of treating the breeding spots more difficult.

The aedes and anopheles mosquitoes that transmit dengue and malaria during the monsoon, lay their eggs in freshwater. With the change in season, the population of the culex or common house mosquitoes is known to increase. This year, residents say, the menace has worsened. "For the past two weeks, we have been facing an issue near my office at Khetwadi in Girgaon. It has become difficult to step out," said Pratibha Tulaskar. Residents of Andheri Lokhandwala and Mulund have been facing a similar issue.

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According to the BMC's insecticide department, the breeding spots of Culex mosquitoes have multiplied due to stagnant water. "Generally, every year after the monsoon, the flow of stormwater drainage like gutters and nullahs stops and the stagnant water becomes a breeding spot. We have our team in every ward, but closed gutters or inaccessible choked nullahs make it difficult to spray pyrosene oil or mosquito larvicide oil," said Rajan Naringrekar, BMC's insecticide officer. He added that though the mosquito doesn't breed in salty water, the storm water drain water mixes with the creek in mangrove areas and turns them into breeding spots as well. The culex breed of mosquitoes can transmit elephantiasis.