Ahead of monsoon, MCD forms task force to control mosquito breeding

The MCD has roped in various agencies, including the PWD, police, ASI and Delhi Metro, to prevent and control vector-borne diseases in the national capital ahead of the monsoon season.

As per the Municipal Corporation of Delhi's action plan for 2024-25, apart from forming a multi-agency task force, the civic body has readied anti-larval measures and has made arrangements to spread awareness about the spread of diseases like malaria and dengue.
Monsoon is expected to arrive in Delhi by the end of this month, according to the weather department.

Hospitals have also been asked to reserve beds for dengue patients in preparation for any outbreak of vector-borne diseases, which saw a 90 per cent jump last year.

The civic body has deployed 5,207 pieces of equipment of different kinds for the purpose, which includes 2,600 Knapsack sprayers used for weekly anti-larval measures, 1,064 hand-operating fogging machines, and 864 pneumatic compression pumps.

Besides, 320 motorised Knapsack sprayers, 246 megaphones (to be used during awareness campaigns), 77 stirrup pumps, 19 vehicle-mounted fogging machines, and 17 power pressure tankers have also been deployed, according to the action plan.

The MCD has made arrangements for inter/intra sectoral participation of agencies like Delhi Police, Public Works Department (PWD), Delhi Jal Board (DJB), Central Public Works Department (CPWD), among other stakeholders who will together form the headquarter-level task force of the corporation tasked with combating mosquito breeding.

A zonal-level task force will also work alongside them to undertake anti-larval activities like cleaning, de-silting and hyacinth removal from drains and water bodies.

About 250 malaria circles of MCD headed by a malaria inspector/in-charge will operate with a team of 10-12 MTS and 4-5 field workers who will inspect a fixed number of roughly 1000-1500 houses (50 houses per day). They are expected to complete the work in 25-25 days.
Training of these field staff across the MCD zones was conducted in January and February this year.

Besides, MCD will observe June and July as anti-malaria/dengue months by involving the public in awareness campaigns about water stagnation and mosquito breeding.

The MCD will also impart awareness about dengue, malaria and chikungunya prevention during the morning assembly in all schools.

The nodal officers of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) and universities have been asked to ensure breeding-free premises in all lands and buildings.

All government and private hospitals have been asked to reserve beds for dengue patients during the peak season.

Data provided in the action plan shows that breeding of vector-borne diseases spiked by nearly 90 per cent in Delhi during the monsoon season last year as compared to 2022. There has been a spike in the number of such breeding found during home inspections in the last four years since 2020, it said.

Delhi recorded 3,25,875 cases of mosquito breeding at home in 2023, and 1,71,931 cases in 2022. In 2021, Delhi recorded 1,96,303 instances of such breeding. In 2020, instances of mosquito breeding at homes in Delhi stood at 1,09,550.