Mumbai: Swarmed! Suburbs reel under mosquito menace

If you live in the suburbs you may have noticed a sudden increase in mosquitoes The reason behind this surge is the Culex mosquito also known as the nuisance mosquito which is expected to continue troubling residents until March The BMC will intensify efforts to clean stormwater drains and nullahs around that timeMany suburban residents have been complaining about the mosquito menace A highrise residential complex near Aarey Milk Colony along JogeshwariVikhroli Link Road has also been affected forcing residents to keep their windows shut in the evenings The society management has sent an email to residents stating that regular mosquito control measures such as spraying and fogging are being carried out daily within the premises However despite these efforts the problem persists and residents have been advised to take additional precautionsA highrise residential complex near Aarey Milk Colony along JogeshwariVikhroli Link Road has been affected PicNimesh DaveTasneem Shaikh a resident said ldquoHalf of Mumbai is dug up with debris everywhere In such conditions mosquitoes are bound to increase Our building conducts regular fumigation but being close to Aarey strong winds sometimes reduce its effectiveness Most homes have mosquito nets but if they are left open by mistake mosquitoes swarm inrdquoAnother resident Mridu Agarwal highlighted the health risks saying ldquoMumbai is already in the news for its poor air quality The presence of debris garbage and dust creates ideal mosquito breeding grounds increasing the risk of mosquitoborne diseases The constant dust pollution also worsens respiratory issues We urge authorities to take immediate and effective action before this turns into a fullblown public health crisisrdquoA municipal worker fumigating in Mumbai FIle PicShadab KhanIndu Singh another resident added ldquoThe mosquito problem has worsened this season Despite installing nets and conducting fumigation therersquos no relief With exams approaching childrenrsquos studies and sleep are being affectedrdquo Aparna Hitendra Pachkale a resident of Versova said ldquoFor the past two to three weeks we have been closing our windows before sunset If they remain open hundreds of mosquitoes enter and start biting Since we have a small child at home we ensure that windows are shut and mosquito repellent is appliedrdquoWhat does the BMC sayA BMC official speaking on condition of anonymity said ldquoThe mosquito currently troubling suburban residents is the Culex mosquito During the monsoon stormwater drains flow continuously preventing mosquito breeding However after the monsoon around OctoberNovember water stagnates in certain areas A single female Culex mosquito lays 100ndash200 eggs at a time Even if 50 per cent of them die millions of mosquitoes can emerge from one stormwater drain especially in suburban areas with open drains and nullahs These mosquitoes breed in polluted stagnant water unlike Anopheles and Aedes mosquitoes which prefer clean waterResidents of the highrise society use mosquito nets on their windowsThe Culex mosquito season starts in November but drain cleaning only begins in March as per flood mitigation policies We have been requesting that drain cleaning be carried out immediately after the monsoon to prevent this mosquito menaceCulex mosquitoes also breed in locations where stormwater drains or pipelines are clogged The issue is more severe in the suburbs than in the city While Culex mosquitoes are vectors for lymphatic filariasis elephantiasis we fortunately have no reported cases so they are considered nuisance mosquitoesrdquoThe official also claimed that the BMC conducts fumigation in all affected wards ldquoIn many suburban areas box drains have heavy covers making it difficult for our staff to enter and spray chemicals However we spray as per the available scoperdquo the official addedExpertrsquos TakeDr Harshad Limaye consultant of infectious diseases at Nanavati Max Hospital said ldquoIn India Culex gelidus is a growing concern as it transmits the Japanese Encephalitis Virus JEV which causes brain inflammation This is dangerous in rural areas where people live near pigs and water bodies which act as virus reservoirs Although Culex mosquitoes in India have not been proven to spread the West Nile Virus WNV naturally lab studies show they can Other viruses such as Chittoor virus CHITV and Chikungunya virus CHIKV have also been detected in Culex mosquitoes Draining stagnant polluted water in drains ponds and irrigation channels is one of the best preventive measures Using insecticidetreated nets protective clothing and mosquito repellents can help especially at night Civic authorities are already strengthening vector control programs including fogging and larvicidal treatments in highrisk areasrdquo Dr Limaye added The highrise manager on JVLR said he was travelling and couldnrsquot commentTypes of mosquitoes and their diseasesMumbai has three major types of mosquitoesAnopheles mosquitoesResponsible for malaria Their breeding increases during the monsoonAedes mosquitoesResponsible for dengue chikungunya Zika fever and yellow fever They are container breeders laying eggs on dry surfaces inside containers rather than in water Their eggs can survive without water for up to a year They bite during the dayCulex mosquitoesCan transmit lymphatic filariasis elephantiasis but are primarily considered nuisance mosquitoes in Mumbai100200No of eggs Culex mosquito lays at a time