BHUBANESWAR: The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has started releasing Gambusia fish fingerlings in artificial ponds and fountains in the city as a preventive measure against mosquito-borne diseases, especially dengue.
BMC officials said as part of the initiative, Gambusia fingerlings were released in two fountains of Indira Gandhi Park on Monday. These fish act as biological control agents and eat mosquito larvae, reducing the chances of spread of mosquito-borne diseases including malaria and dengue.
Apart from IG Park, these fish fingerlings have been released in major drains of Laxmi Sagar area, Saheed Nagar area and RD University periphery, officials said. Other measures including fogging and source-reduction drive are being undertaken at different places to prevent dengue and other mosquito-borne diseases in the city, they added.