The pond at NRS; (above) litter dumped on the bank. Pictures by Bishwarup Dutta
To battle the mosquito menace on its premises, Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College and Hospital (NRS) will use its 1.3-acre pond for pisciculture.
Decades ago, in the wake of increasing chemical pesticide-related deaths, researchers sought to reinvent commercially viable alternatives to conventional pesticides. By the 1970s, optimism was high that future pest control schemes would increasingly incorporate novel methods including the use of biocontrol agents.
policymakers in India swear by the insecticide ddt to contain sand fly, the kala-azar vector. There are alternatives to using chemicals, a group of researchers has found by studying 50 villages in five kala-azar endemic districts in Bihar. The disease is most prevalent in the state. Critics say the study is not foolproof. Various theories exist on sand fly
There are several procedures to control mosquitoes by chemical, mechanical, genetical or biological means. Biological control of mosquito larvae by the application of natural animal products is one of the important techniques, which is cheap, easy-to-use and environment friendly. (Correspondence)
