The mayor of Asansol Municipal Corporation (AMC), Bidhan Upadhyay has distributed guppy fish to kill the larvae of the mosquitoes as the cases of malaria and dengue increased alarmingly in the state.

The latest victim of malaria is a person from Behala and in the past six months more than two hundred people have suffered from malaria and two of them have died.

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The monsoon has just peaked in south Bengal and it is feared that in the coming days the dengue and malaria cases will further increase.

“We have distributed one lakh guppy fish to be dropped at the permanent and temporary water bodies, spread over the 106 wards of the Asansol Municipal Corporation to kill the larva of the mosquitoes,” said Mr Upadhyay.

The AMC has also directed its sanitation department staff to remain alert and regularly spray insecticide and bleaching powder and not to allow storage of water in the localities.

The Asansol Municipal Corporation handed over the guppy fish at an event today. Amarnath Chatterjee, chairman and deputy mayor, Wasimul Haque were also present.

The civic body is also in touch with the authorities of Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL) in Sanctoria, IISCO Steel Plant (ISP) of Sail in Burnpur and the Divisional Railway Manager’s Office in Asansol so that these respective central government organizations also maintain and clean their townships to prevent spreading of dengue and malaria in the Asansol region.