In an attempt to control the breeding of mosquito larvae and prevent dengue, the Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) today released guppy fish in water bodies.
Darjeeling district, including the Hills, has already recorded more than 40 dengue cases this year, including around five cases in the SMC area. “We have drawn up plans to release guppy fish in the town to control the breeding of mosquito larvae. We have received guppy fish from the department of fisheries and have distributed them to all five boroughs,” the chairperson of the board of administrators of the civic body, Gautam Deb, said.
Corporation officials said that around 2 lakh fish of the total 3.25 lakh had been released in more than 40 water bodies today. Fifty thousand fish each were distributed to borough-I and II, 70,000 to borough-III, 50,000 to borough IV and 1.10 lakh to borough V. Drains have been cleared to release the guppy fish in many wards under the SMC.
According to the district chief medical officer of health Dr Pralay Acharya, the move will help curb dengue. The guppy fish are known to feed on dengue and malaria-causing mosquito larvae and microbes. “Like previous years, guppy fish are being released in the water bodies. We are hopeful that the step will help check dengue as they feed on mosquito larvae and the mosquito will not be able to grow.
Vector control teams are spraying larvicide. The fish will be released across the district,” Dr Acharya said. With the scientific name Poecilia reticulate, the guppies are ornamental fish and can grow up to 2.4 inches and they feed voraciously on mosquito larvae and microbes and live up to five years. One guppy fish can eat 25-50 larvae daily, officials of the fisheries department said.
Guppy fish are usually found in small ponds and pools and also live in brackish water.