The corporate sector has joined hands with the BMC in its war against malaria. As part of their corporate social responsibility, a number of organisations funded the initial lot of the Mosquito Larvicidal (ML) oil that the BMC procured on Saturday from the Indian Oil Corporation. It is believed that this oil would help control mosquito breeding in the city.

Real estate group Housing Development and Infrastructure Limited (HDIL), the ONGC, the Monginis food chain, and another food chain in the western suburbs were among those that came forward to fund.

The BMC procured eight tankers containing 10,000 liters of the oil each at a cost of Rs65 per litre (or Rs52 lakh in all). "The municipal commissioner and additional commissioner had made an appeal and several organisations willingly came forward to help," said Dr Guirish Ambe, the BMC's executive health officer.

When sprayed, a thin film of the oil is created on stagnant water where mosquito breeding takes place. This film cuts down oxygen supply to the larvae and their growth is thereby arrested.
Dr Arun Bamne, the BMC's chief insecticide officer, said that samples of the oil were tested at the Haffkine Institute to check the effectiveness. "The oil does not cause any harm to animals or plants as it is non-toxic," he said.
The BMC hopes to curb the spread of the disease with the oil. "The spraying work has been started in the most affected wards,