Delhi sees intensified mosquito surveillance to combat vector-borne diseases

Delhi has ramped up its mosquito-control efforts in 2025, with over 2.26 crore house inspections carried out between January 1 and July 19, a significant rise from the 1.89 crore inspections during the same period in 2024, officials said on Friday.

Data from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi’s (MCD) anti-malaria operations headquarters indicates a substantial increase in house inspections, legal notices issued, and G-8 challans imposed in 2025 compared to the same period last year. This trend highlights enhanced vector surveillance and enforcement throughout the city.

Between January 1 and July 19, 2025, field workers visited over 2.26 crore houses to check for mosquito breeding. This represents nearly a 37 lakh increase compared to 2024, which saw 1.89 crore house visits. Additionally, the numbers surpass those from 2023 (1.97 crore) and 2022 (1.68 crore).

Spraying operations have also picked up pace. So far in 2025, 5.36 lakh houses have been sprayed with insecticides, compared to 2.23 lakh last year and 5.22 lakh in 2023, indicating a 140 per cent increase from 2024 figures.

The number of houses found positive for mosquito larvae has also increased, touching 79,913 this year compared to 49,513 last year, a rise of over 60 per cent, pointing to a possible surge in stagnant water breeding sites, likely aggravated by intermittent monsoon rains.

In terms of legal enforcement, the MCD has issued 64,424 notices to property owners for mosquito-breeding conditions in 2025, up from 44,070 notices in 2024 and 76,131 in 2023.

Additionally, 11,949 prosecutions have been initiated this year, nearly matching the total of 15,607 from 2023.

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Officials also imposed G-8 challans (spot fines) worth nearly Rs 9.85 lakh this year, compared to around Rs 7.8 lakh collected by this time last year. As of now, 3,034 challans have been issued in 2025.

Another notable aspect of the mosquito control programme is the biological control approach — releasing larvivorous fish in stagnant water bodies. As of July 19, 282 such spots have been maintained this year, consistent with 2024 and higher than 206 in 2023 and 187 in 2022.

An MCD official highlighted that the intensified house visits, legal action, and fines are aimed at creating deterrence and public awareness.

“The surge in inspections reflects our commitment to controlling vector-borne diseases. However, public cooperation is equally vital. Citizens must ensure there’s no stagnant water in and around their homes,” the official added.