Dhanbad, March 15: Thirty scientists from Central Fuel Research Institute (CFRI) and Central Mining Research Institute (CMRI), Dhanbad, are working on a novel project aimed at transforming the village of Dhangi in Baliapur block of Dhanbad into a ?model village.?

Dhangi, a village of a population of around 4000, witnessed an out break of malaria in 1989. The village urgently needs an improved sanitation.

Situated barely 6 km from the district headquarters in Dhanbad at the foothills of Dhangi hill, the village?s ponds and humid climate is an ideal breeding ground for mosquitoes.

?The first step towards transforming Dhangi would be tackling the mosquito menace,? said block development officer of Baliapur J.J. Samantha.

Integrated Pest Management System for Mosquito Control, a World Health Organisation (WHO) approved methodology to eradicate epidemics, has been launched in collaboration with the scientists of CMRI and CFRI.

Yesterday, the scientists trained students of Government Middle School at Dhangi about methods to get rid of mosquitoes causing malaria and brain fever.

?On Friday, we carried out a survey of mosquito-borne diseases through door-to-door campaign in the entire village. We visited houses with a set of questionnaire to create a data base. Then we will chalk out a way to free the village of mosquitoes by destroying their breeding grounds such as stagnant water through pisciculture and invertebrate predators and mosquito traps,? said the team of scientists from CFRI.

?We will submit a report of our findings to the district administration highlighting the lack of awareness among people,? they added.

Principal of Government Middle School at Dhangi, Narayan Chandra Mandal told The Telegraph that residents of this village are comparatively well off as they also depend on horticulture to earn a living.

But superstitions and baseless practices have hindered the development. Instead of going to medical practitioners during illness, the people go to quacks to cure diseases and other ailments.

?School dropout rate is high among girls as child marriage is rampant in the village. The condition of women is deplorable due to practice of witchcraft. Dhangi could be a model village only if it gets rid of these blind beliefs,? said Mandal.

?Rural technology of mushroom cultivation and vocational courses to make products out of bamboo will be taught to women to make them self-reliant and men could also earn though pisciculture,? said Samantha.