Dengue control: Get free mosquito killer fish from Chandigarh fisheries dept - Hindustan Times
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Dengue control: Get free mosquito killer fish from Chandigarh fisheries dept

By, Chandigarh
Oct 01, 2021 11:59 PM IST

Gambusia adult fish eat 100 to 300 mosquito larvae per day in stagnant water bodies, helping control the spread of dengue

After the health department registered 59 confirmed cases of dengue in September, highest in four years, the UT animal husbandry and fisheries department has started providing mosquito killer fish (Gambusia) for free to residents to put into stagnant bodies of water.

The mosquito killer fish can be obtained by calling at 0172-2700092 or directly visiting Government Seed Fish Farm, set up at the regulator end of the Sukhna Lake near the Garden of Silence in Chandigarh. (HT FILE PHOTO)
The mosquito killer fish can be obtained by calling at 0172-2700092 or directly visiting Government Seed Fish Farm, set up at the regulator end of the Sukhna Lake near the Garden of Silence in Chandigarh. (HT FILE PHOTO)

A drive was started on Friday at Nagar Van near Sukhna Lake and the fish were released into the water bodies here. Deputy conservator of forests Abdul Qayum, director of the department of animal husbandry and fisheries, Manish Kumar Lohan, and joint director Dr Kanwarjit Singh were present on this occasion. The Gambusia fish will also be released in other stagnant water points in the coming days.

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Speaking about how the fish work, joint director Dr Kanwarjit Singh said, “The Gambusia adult fish eat 100 to 300 mosquito larvae per day. The fish are small and inedible, which makes them an excellent biological tool for mosquito control. The larvae are consumed before they have a chance to develop into adult mosquitoes. This prevents the spread of diseases like dengue, malaria and chikungunya.”

Call or visit fish farm

The department has already supplied the fish to those in northern sectors who have ponds or fountains in their houses. However, anyone can now approach them to get the fish free of cost.

A call can be made to the joint director’s office at 0172-2700092 or people can directly go to the Government Seed Fish Farm, set up at the regulator end of the Sukhna Lake near the Garden of Silence. The fish farm, as per department director Manish Kumar Lohan, is the only such farm in North which breeds this rare fish and supplies it to other departments.

“People must make sure that the water body is stagnant. The fish are not to be kept in aquariums. Someone from the department will visit the place before the fish are provided to ensure that they are not wasted,” Dr Singh said.

So far in 2021, 78 cases of dengue have been reported in Chandigarh, with the health department claiming zero fatality due to the disease. Six confirmed cases of malaria were also logged this year against last year’s seven. No chikungunya case has been reported in Chandigarh in the last three years.

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