Bhubaneswar: In order to prevent the spread of malaria and dengue, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has released Western Gambusia fish in four major drains in the capital city.
According to sources, the BMC had decided to release Gambusia fish in water bodies of Bhubaneswar after its the Health inspectors identified 175 spots vulnerable to breeding of mosquitoes. The Gambusia fish, also known as mosquitofish, feeds on the larvae of mosquitoes, which cause vector-borne diseases like malaria and dengue, and thus prevent their breeding process.
With dengue spreading in several places of the city, the BMC finally implemented its decision of releasing the Gambusia fish in water bodies. Initially, the fish was released in a drain of Ward 55 located behind the old BMC office.
Recently, the municipal officials released the fish in Drain 10 behind Maharshi College in Sahid Nagar, a drain in front of Mancheswar police station and the one at Nandan Vihar of Patia in the city.