Gambusia fish to be released in 300 ponds to control dengue in Mahendragarh

Tribune News Service

Ravinder Saini

Mahendragarh, June 21

The district administration has decided to release Gambusia (mosquito fish) in 300 ponds across the district to prevent the spread of vector-borne diseases.

Dry Day

All residents should mark one day of the week as 'dry day'. On this day, they should clean their coolers, water vessels for animals and birds etc to curb the spread of mosquito larvae. — Monika Gupta, Deputy Commissioner

Deputy Commissioner Monika Gupta directed the District Development and Panchayat Officer (DDPO) to provide a list of the ponds to the Civil Surgeon at the earliest for this purpose.

Gambusia fish feed on the larvae of dengue-breeding mosquitoes, thereby checking the spread of the disease. The Gambusia species, popularly known as mosquito fish, is used in many countries as a bio-control measure to check the transmission of vector-borne diseases.

Although no case of dengue have been reported in the district so far the number was 44 last year, while 72 cases were detected in 2022, 161 in 2021, seven in 2019 and four cases in 2018.

“The Health Department has taken all steps to prevent the spread of mosquito-borne diseases in the district, but people need to be cautious about the spread of these diseases, too. All residents should mark one day of the week as ‘dry day’. On this day, they should clean their coolers, tyres, flower vases, water vessels for animals and birds, etc. to curb the spread of mosquito larvae,” said the DC.

She said Gambusia fish had been released in 97 ponds across the district, while the process to release these fish in the remaining 203 ponds would begin as soon as the DDPO provides the list of the remaining ponds to the Civil Surgeon.

The DC has instructed private hospitals to not charge more than the amounts fixed by the government for the tests. She also directed the Education Department officials to organise awareness programmes once schools re-open and make children aware of these diseases.

“Mosquitoes breed in uncovered water pots, kept in houses and in the water stored in tanks on rooftops, so these storage containers should always be covered. People should fill water in coolers, flower vases, water pots for animals/birds, basins only after drying them properly, once every week. If a cooler is not being used, it must be cleaned and kept dry. People must remain vigilant and not let water accumulate around their houses. Add soil to the pits filled with water, or add kerosene, diesel or, petrol in the stagnant water,” said Civil Surgeon Ramesh Chander Arya.

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