Mumbai: The BMC health department has written a letter to the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MMRC) complaining about the ongoing Metro construction work, which has led to mushrooming of mosquito breeding sites. These in turn have become contagious hubs of malaria and dengue.
A senior health official said around 12 construction workers have been diagnosed with malaria and dengue; the incidence was noticed while they were filling up the breeding spots opposite Vidhan Bhavan.
This comes on the heels of the BMC insecticide department receiving 30 complaints of mosquito breeding sites from the vicinity. These sites have exposed construction workers and residents to vector-borne diseases.
“On June 4, a letter was sent to the MMRCL asking them to take immediate steps to check the spread of breeding grounds in the area,” said an official.
The letter sent to Ashok Bhasme, DGM of MMRCL, states: “The ongoing construction of Metro Railway Station opposite Vidhan Bhavan has resulted in incidence of malaria in the surrounding area.
You are aware that the Metro Railway Stations are being constructed underground and retaining walls are being constructed for the stations. Prior to the actual construction of the retaining walls, the soil is barricaded with I- beams of large size at various levels.
The sub-soil water seeping through the excavated portion is collecting in these I-beams and the water accumulating therein is breeding malaria vector mosquitoes. These I-beams are inaccessible for treatment as the structure fabricated for running the gantry is hindering the scope for treatment.”
A senior official said in the past one month, as many as 12 workers have been diagnosed with malaria and dengue, of which two of them are undergoing treatment at St George Hospital.
“Every month we receive cases of construction workers suffering from dengue and malaria. During monsoon, the number of cases goes up further,” said a senior doctor.
The civic health department has inspected the metro pits, collected water samples, and are fogging the underground construction area. They detected the larvae of dengue virus near the plush Mantralaya precinct and the backside of the neighbouring auditorium.
“Our staff is also putting their lives at risk by trying to reach inaccessible spots but in spite of all their efforts certain spots cannot be accessed at all. This is resulting in non-treatment at the said spots and the chances of vector mosquitoes breeding are manifold,” the notice further says.
