Malaria battle a priority: BMC

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is taking measures to ensure there is no repeat of last year’s malaria outbreak.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is taking measures to ensure there is no repeat of last year’s malaria outbreak.

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Last year, over 100 people died from the mosquito-borne disease while eight have perished this year.

The BMC has issued notices to 89 construction sites where developers have failed to prevent mosquito breeding.

The BMC directed all builders to take precautions to curb malaria, which includes not allowing water to accumulate, keeping a doctor on the site, regular check-ups for construction workers and provision of mosquito nets.

Of the 1,600 construction sites in the city, officials have inspected over 1,000. They found that Lalbaug, Parel, Worli, Dadar, Byculla, Kurla, Ghatkopar, Andheri, Malad and Kandivli — which house several construction sites — were prone to mosquito-breeding.

The BMC issued letters to the railways, the airport and Mumbai Port Trust, asking them to carry out fogging.

“It is not possible to eradicate malaria, but we will try to control it,” said Municipal Commissioner Subodh Kumar.

“The administration should take strict action against builders who haven’t taken measures to prevent mosquito breeding and larva formation,” said Rahul Shewale, chairman of the Standing Committee.

Last week, Congress corporator Anahita Mehta alleged that the Health Department was not serious about containing malaria.

The department has not yet bought mosquito larvicide oil that curbs mosquito breeding in stagnant water on construction sites. A health official, speaking on condition of anonymity as he is not authorised to speak to the media, said the BMC would start using the oil within a week. Inputs Prajakta Chavan