Mumbai, Sept. 19 -- With vector-borne diseases such as malaria, dengue and chikungunya registering a sharp rise across the city amid intermittent monsoon showers, citizens blamed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for delaying fumigation and other pest control measures, leading to a spurt in the number of mosquitoes and diseases. "The BMC undertook fumigation and put up posters on preventive measures only after several people from our area tested positive for dengue and malaria. These things should have been done much earlier," said Juhu Koliwada resident Nicky Dsouza, whose mother recently tested positive for Malaria. Representatives of several housing societies also said that they had demanded more fumigation services in their area after a rise in cases of malaria and dengue, but the BMC had failed to address their concerns. "Cases of malaria, dengue and chikungunya have risen a lot in our area and there are mosquitoes all around, so much so that it becomes difficult to step outside after dusk," said Laura Dsouza, president of the Cuffe Parade Residents' Association and a practicising doctor. "The BMC team comes for fumigation only if you complain to them while the streets are full of puddles, with larvae breeding in construction sites." Watchmen were the worst affected by the proliferation of mosquitoes, the doctor said. "We have had to put oil drops in water and release sucker fish in ponds of gardens to prevent larval growth," she noted. Dr Shalini Suralkar, director (general medicine), LH Hiranandani Hospital said the intermittent rain with periods of sunshine in between had contributed to the breeding of mosquitoes and rise in illnesses, alongside extensive construction work across the city. "Young children, elderly people, patients with co-morbidities like diabetes, heart disease, chronic kidney or liver disease, and pregnant women are particularly vulnerable to developing severe dengue," Dr Suralkar said. Those with a history of dengue were also at heightened risk, she noted. Dr Gaurav Gupta, internal medicine consultant at Saifee Hospital, said that in his practice, viral influenza accounted for around 30-40% of the patients, followed by Dengue at 20-25% and malaria at 10-15%. Gastrointestinal ailments also affected a major chunk of the population. "These are among commonly encountered illnesses during the monsoon and changing seasonal conditions. Dengue cases are particularly prominent at present, with many patients suffering from low platelet count," he said. Corporators also flagged concerns about ineffective action against vector-borne diseases. Yashwant Killedar, a corporator from Dadar, said that fumigation and other pest control measures were much delayed due to the shortage of pesticides and larvicides owing to the war in West Asia. "These pesticides are arranged via Indian Oil. Though stocks of larvicide arrived late, the city is yet to receive stocks of pesticide, which is used to kill worms," Killedar claimed. The BMC's insecticide department had 892 vacancies and shortage of staff was affecting pest control services, the corporator mentioned. "Private contracts for killing rats to contain the spread of leptospirosis are also yet to start functioning as pay orders have not been issued to them," he added. However, an official from the insecticide department clarified that there was a shortage of pesticides for a very brief period and supplies had since been regularised. "Issuing contracts for rodent control programmes does take time. But they have been sorted out now.," the official said. The BMC claimed it had fumigated 20,713 buildings and 321,716 slums tenements from September 1-15....