Mumbai: BMC zaps mosquito breeding spots in pots

Pots with stagnant water being treated at Andheri Chakala Road

The civic body has started anti-larval treatment in planters across the city in which rain water accumulates. The move comes just days after a mid-day report highlighted that the pots could be a mosquito breeding ground during the monsoon. So far BMC has conducted anti-larval treatment at Andheri and Vile Parle East.

Rainwater has been accumulating in the pots that have no drainage system. The officials of BMC's insecticide department agree that there is a possibility of mosquitoes breeding if water accumulates for over a week.

According to a civic official, Anopheles mosquitoes that spread malaria can lay eggs in fresh water accumulated in such pots. After the mid-day report, BMC's insecticide department ordered their pest control officers to conduct anti-larval treatment in all pots. BMC has also treated planters set up on the divider of Hanuman Road in Vile Parle as well as pots at Andheri-Chakala.

Planters along the divider at Hanuman Road, Vile Parle East, got anti-larvae treatment, too

"We have used a liquid chemical to prevent mosquitoes from breeding and also requested garden department officials to figure out a way to prevent water from accumulating. Officials claim that we have witnessed such cases where water has accumulated even in used coconut shells or small plastic cups in addition to plant pots. "So we need to prevent water from accumulating in pots by cleaning it at least in a week," said an official.