Fogging activities in the city to control mosquitoes have faced disruption due to the limited availability of certain pest control chemicals. This has alarmed some residents, causing concerns about a possible surge in vector-borne diseases after Mumbai experienced spikes in dengue and malaria during the monsoon.

In a letter to BMC authorities, local activist Godfrey Pimenta from the Watchdog Foundation said, “We wish to bring to your attention the critical issue of the recent surge in vector-borne diseases in K East Ward and across the other wards of Mumbai. The cessation of the use of deltamethrin, an organophosphate pesticide, for the past 15 days has resulted in a concerning rise in cases of diseases such as malaria, dengue, chikungunya, etc.” Deltamethrin happens to be one of the several chemicals used in fogging machines.