Mumbai: In response to mounting concerns over the dengue outbreak in Mumbai, the Maharashtra state government has announced proactive steps to combat the spread of mosquito-borne diseases, particularly focusing on construction sites and other vulnerable areas. This decision comes amid reports of 95 fatalities and over a thousand affected individuals due to mosquito infestation across the city.
During a recent session of the legislative council, Prasad Lad, an MLC from the BJP, raised an attention motion emphasizing the severe impact of dengue on Mumbai residents, especially in densely populated areas like slums and housing colonies. He criticized the efficacy of previous awareness campaigns and questioned the adequacy of municipal efforts, highlighting the continued presence of mosquito breeding grounds near street food stalls and waterlogged areas.
In response, Uday Samant, Minister of Industries, highlighted the government's efforts to curtail the spread of dengue. He outlined measures undertaken by the municipality, including spraying medicated fogging at over 43,000 locations and deworming treatments at 227 sites. Despite these efforts, Samant acknowledged the need for further vigilance and announced the formation of specialized flying squads to inspect high-risk areas within the next 15 days.
"Our focus is on ramping up precautionary measures," Samant affirmed, addressing concerns raised by other legislators regarding the adequacy of healthcare facilities in rural areas and the need for enhanced coordination between municipal authorities and laboratories.
Echoing these sentiments, Sachin Ahir and Sunil Shinde, both MLCs from Shiv Sena, criticized lapses in municipal coordination and urged stricter enforcement of preventive measures. Ahir pointed out gaps in the monitoring system and called for improved communication between health officials and testing facilities. “BMC’s Mumbai Against Dengue App does not work, and advertisements are repeatedly uploaded on social media. There is no coordination between the municipality and labs, and updates are not provided to labs. Regular fogging is also not happening. This is leading to an increase in breeding sites. Major spots where infrastructure projects are underway are also not being monitored. The government should establish a special team to address these issues”, said Ahir.
Adding to the discourse, Raj Hans Singh, also from the BJP, underscored the necessity of restarting larvicidal spraying in areas where mosquito breeding remains unchecked. He emphasized that fogging alone may not suffice in reducing larvae proliferation, especially in water storage drums common in residential areas.
In response to these concerns, Minister Samant stated, "Last year, Mumbai recorded 14 dengue deaths, but this year, there have been none. Public awareness campaigns were conducted, and 1,31,980 breeding sites were cleared successfully. This year, interventions covered 43,428 locations, with fogging at 227 spots using shoulder-mounted machines. January saw cases drop from 109 to 81, and from 113 to 51 in May. Monitoring continues, with instructions to the municipality. Dengue remains a statewide concern, prompting measures by the state health department".
