Hyderabad: Nets, bats, coils and repellents are part of everyday life for those living near the Musi river, but none of them are enough. From Gandipet to Chaderghat, and through newly built-up stretches like Narsingi and Attapur, the stagnant, polluted waters of the Musi have become the city’s longest mosquito nursery.Residents speak of entire evenings lost to swatting, of balconies rendered unusable, of fevers that arrive after the first showers. The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has carried out fogging and larval control in isolated spots, sometimes even using drones, but these efforts vanish just as quickly as they appear. The mosquitoes stay. And the season for dengue is almost here.Syed Bilal, who lives near the river, says his family has given up trying to sit outside after 5 pm. “Inside the house, it’s too hot. Outside, it’s unbearable. If we fall sick, there’s the added cost of treatment. We’re trapped either way.” In Bapughat, Bharat, the secretary of Nanda Apartments, describes a similar helplessness. “Children are not allowed to play outside for long. We’ve tried everything but nothing will change unless the Musi flows.”Despite a decline in malaria and chikungunya cases, dengue continues to surge during monsoon months, with over 10,000 cases reported across Telangana in 2024. Public health experts say the warning signs are everywhere. Dr Madap Karuna, who has worked for over two decades in paediatrics and preventive health, describes the current mosquito situation as a precursor to an epidemic. “Urban malaria is rare now, but dengue hasn’t gone anywhere. June to October is when it spreads. The eggs of Aedes mosquitoes, the ones that carry dengue, are already all over the city. All it takes is a brief spell of rain. In a week, you’ll have adult mosquitoes biting.” She explains that even a few millilitres of stagnant water on a terrace, in a flower pot, or a discarded bottle cap is enough for these mosquitoes to breed.Dr Karuna had filed a PIL in 2019 in the Telangana High Court which pointed to the poor link between water stagnation and dengue outbreaks. The court had then directed the government to release funds and begin cleaning operations in Musi. While a few drives have taken place since, the river continues to choke on sewage, plastic, and unchecked construction debris. “Public health isn’t just about hospitals. It’s about surveillance, community education, early recognition, and policy. If someone near you gets dengue, you’re already at risk,” she said. “Eighty-five per cent of cases are mild, fifteen percent need hospitalisation, and one to two percent can be fatal. The second time you get dengue is often worse than the first.”In gated communities like the one Abhijeet Bose moved into in Narsingi, the situation is no better. “We shifted here thinking the environment would be better. The association does fogging and sprays regularly, but the proximity to the river ruins it all. There are days we can’t even open the windows. I’ve never seen anything like it. I don’t know how people in poorer colonies, with no fogging, are coping.”Experts like Dr Karuna advocate preventive solutions beyond chemicals. She suggests introducing Gambusia fish in stagnant water bodies, which feed on mosquito larvae and are cost-effective. There are certain plants too that naturally deter breeding. But above all, she stresses, the city needs sustained awareness.“Ask people what date May 15 is. It’s National Dengue Day. Most won’t know. Out of every twenty people, barely twelve or thirteen will be aware of how to prevent dengue. That has to change,” she said adding, “Infants and the elderly, who spend most of their time indoors, are particularly vulnerable. Fogging helps, but only temporarily. What matters more is eliminating breeding sites.”
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