DC for implementing anti-dengue measures

FAISALABAD: Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Ali has said that after reviewing the results of anti-dengue measures, weaknesses and shortcomings should be rectified immediately to eradicate the disease completely.

He said this while releasing larvae eatable Tilapia, Grass Carp and other types of fish in the ponds of Wasa near Jhal Chowk on Saturday.

DHA CEO Dr Mushtaq Sipra, DHO Dr Bilal Ahmed, District Coordinator Dr Zulqarnain, Deputy Director Fisheries Shahid Maqbool, Deputy Director Wasa Farhan Ali and other officers of various departments were also present.

The DC termed the move to release larvae eating fish in the ponds as beneficial and said that these fishes should be monitored regularly to maintain their livelihood. He asked the citizens to keep their homes, markets and their surroundings clean and not allow water to stagnate. He said that dengue virus should be eradicated and the sense of avoidance should remain alive. In this regard, the precautionary and preventive measures should be implemented responsibly in full cooperation with the Health Department, he added.

He said that last year 110,000 fish were released in the ponds and this year, a target of 1.5 million had been set.

He said that the experiment of releasing dengue larvae in the ponds had been successful. The DC told that due to the danger of dengue larva hatcheries such kind of fish were releasing in the clean water ponds and the Fisheries Department had been given task in this regard.

He said that the work of dengue surveillance expedited with a view to recent temperature and all concerned departments had to vigilant to cope with dengue issue and perform their duties efficiently. He said that no negligence or laxity would be tolerated regarding the implementation of the plan evolved for checking dengue larva.