India
The Animal Husbandry & Fisheries Department of Chandigarh under the able guidance of Dr Vijay Namdeorao Zade Secretary Animal Husbandry & Fisheries has initiated steps to fight against mosquito borne disease ‘DENGUE’ which is very common in post rainy season. In this season, mosquitoes breed very rapidly especially in stagnant water and thus causing the spread of diseases like malaria and dengue.
The Fisheries department released Mosquito Killer fish (Gambusia) at Nagar Van near Sukhna Lake Chandigarh as a step toward preventing malaria/dengue in the city. Dr Abdul Qayum, IFS, Deputy Conservator Forest, Sh. Manish Kumar Lohan, Director Department of Animal Husbandry and Fisheries, U.T. Chandigarh and Dr Kanwarjit Singh Joint Director were present on this occasion. The gambusia fish will also be released in other stagnant water points in coming days by the department.
Dr Abdul Qayum, appreciated the efforts of the Animal Husbandry Department for playing an important role in coordination with the Forest Department for conservation of the ecology of Sukhna wetland and other water bodies in Chandigarh (UT). Manish Kumar Lohan, Director Animal Husbandry & Fisheries U.T. Chandigarh stated that the Gambusia released in the water bodies is being produced at Fish Seed Farm at Regulatory end of Sukhna Lake functioning under U.T. Fisheries Department. The department breeds this fish from April to September and then releases it from October onwards as per requirement. He also informed that in the Northern region, Govt. Fish Seed Farm, Chandigarh at Regulatory end, Sukhna Lake is the only farm which breeds the rare fishes and supplies to other departments like Forest, Health and to the general public free of cost. This fish is released into stagnant water bodies to prevent mosquito breeding.
On the occasion, Dr Kanwarjit Singh Joint Director of Animal Husbandry & Fisheries said that the main aim is to control the target mosquito species that can transmit viruses. He apprised that only female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes can spread dengue virus. The Gambusia adult fish eats 100 to 300 mosquito larvae per day. This fish is very small and inedible which makes them an excellent biological tool for mosquito control because the fish consume the larvae before they have a chance to develop into adult mosquitoes. He further appealed to the public that they may approach the Fish Seed Farm for collecting mosquito fish for releasing at stagnant water points, artificial fountains and ponds inside their houses free of cost.
