To keep a check on mosquito-borne diseases, the BMC carries out a fortnight’s drive and inspects governmental institutions, residential and commercial establishments.

Mumbai: The BMC’s short-staffed insecticide department has outsourced manpower for the destruction of mosquito breeding spots. Around 1,213 volunteers have been involved in the preventive measures taken by the civic body, including spraying disinfectant on construction sites, mill areas etc.

To keep a check on mosquito-borne diseases, the BMC carries out a fortnight’s drive and inspects governmental institutions, residential and commercial establishments. Disinfectants are sprayed on breeding spots infested with larvae of malaria and dengue. Also, the workers of the insecticide department search for other mosquito breeding sites such as containers, tyres, odd articles, coconut shells, etc and get them destroyed.

Volunteers to visit construction sites and spray disinfectants every week

However, the department only has 1,594 workers for 24 administrative wards across the city. So, the BMC has outsourced manpower from non-governmental organizations. These volunteers are assigned jobs to visit construction sites in their respective areas and spray disinfectants every week.

The city witnessed heavy rainfall last month, there is a possibility of mosquitoes breeding if water accumulates for over a week. So, the BMC has started anti-larval treatment where the rainwater accumulates. Around 1,213 such volunteers have been involved in the work along with the civic workers of the pest control department. They have to jointly visit the construction sites and search for mosquito breeding spots. They have been taken on a contractual basis, said a civic official. Currently, there are around 5,000 construction sites across the city.