Social media surfaced startling videos of mosquitoes swirling in tornado-like formations creating mosquito tornado across the skies of Keshavnagar and Kharadi Gavthan areas in Pune. The footage alarmed locals, prompting them to call for immediate action from the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC). PMC need to address the city’s civic issues, particularly concerns about the spread of mosquito-borne diseases. Such problem is attributed to increased water levels of the Mula-Mutha River.
Residents in the affected areas have shared their distress, urging the PMC to intervene promptly. Nitin, a local from Kharadi, expressed his concerns about the persistent mosquito infestation causing difficulties in daily life.
Pune’s rivers, namely Mula, Mutha, and Mula-Mutha, are grappling with numerous challenges, including untreated sewage, garbage dumping, and illegal encroachment, due to rapid urbanization. The PMC has identified these issues as urgent and in need of immediate attention.
To address the deteriorating condition of the rivers, the PMC initiated the ‘Mula, Mutha and Mula-Mutha Riverfront Development Project.’ The project aims to rejuvenate the Mula-Mutha river alone, with an estimated cost of Rs 1,450 crore.
Given that India reported cases of dengue exceeding 94,000 by September 2023, Mosquito tornado raises concerns about vector-borne diseases. Climate change exacerbates the situation. As warmer temperatures and increased humidity create favorable conditions for mosquitoes and other disease vectors to thrive. This raises alarm among health organizations like the World Health Organisation, anticipating more severe outbreaks in the future.
Vector Borne Disease
Pathogens transmitted by vectors such as mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas cause vector-borne diseases in humans. These diseases, which include malaria, dengue, chikungunya, yellow fever, Zika virus, Lyme disease, West Nile virus, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Chagas disease, and Leishmaniasis, present significant public health challenges worldwide, leading to severe illness and potential fatalities.
Climate change contributes to the increase in vector-borne diseases, as evidenced by phenomena like the recent Mosquito tornado observed in Pune.
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