Cuttack, Jan. 12: The municipal corporation has decided to switch to the traditional methods to combat the ever-growing mosquito menace.

A two-pronged strategy is being chalked out to check the breeding sites of mosquitoes in different parts of the city under the Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC).

Senior officials said that steps would be taken to intensify the release of gambusia fish in various surface drains and other water bodies in the city.

Gambusia is popular because of its mosquito-larvae killing capacity and is considered to be the ideal option to check the breeding of mosquitoes. It is also very cost effective.

The move comes in the wake of rise in mosquito population, creating problems for the residents in all the 59 wards of the city. Official sources said at present the mosquito density level stood at 65 against 70 in December.

Official sources said over 60,000 gambusia fish would be released in major storm water channels, surface drains and other water bodies to ensure a complete check on the rise of mosquito population.

Spraying of larvacide oil would also be intensified along with the clearing of bushes in many localities to target adult mosquitoes.

'We have decided to mainly target the mosquito larvae by releasing gambusia fish which plays a vital role in the mosquito control programme,' said the civic body commissioner Gyana Das.

CMC health officials said gambusia or the guppy fish is able to consume over hundreds of larvae in an hour. Besides, the method is quite handy in reducing the cost of the mosquito control programme and the fish can reproduce rapidly.

The Telegraph,in a report published on May 14, 2012 had highlighted the sharp decline in the number of larvae eating fish population due to the repair and renovation work of major drains.

Health officials said that steps were subsequently taken to breed gambusia fish that are now available in large numbers in natural channels near Sishubhawan and SCB medical campus.

As per the strategy, the civic body has decided to release gambusia fish from these natural channels into the main storm water channel and other major surface drains and water bodies that would destroy the breeding sites of the mosquitoes.

The process of release of gambusia fish in the drainage channel is likely to start within a couple of days.

'We have now decided to target the larvae instead of the adult mosquitoes by releasing the gambusia fish in almost 10 to 15 new sites every day. We hope the mosquito menace will be under check shortly,' Das added.

Local residents on the other hand alleged that the ongoing fogging operations have failed to provide respite from mosquitoes.

'The corporation has failed to contain the mosquito menace. We hope that the civic body wakes up to the situation and take proper steps to check the breeding sites of the mosquitoes,' said Mrutyunjay Tripathy, a resident of Kanika Chhak.