Chennai: The latest strategy of the corporation to curb mosquito menace in the city is set to take off by the first week of December.

The civic body plans to plant Nochi plants all along the riverbanks and several other parts of the city to reduce mosquito breeding. Biologists are, however, not buying the corporation’s idea. They say that planting of Nochi alone will not help in curbing the population of mosquitoes. 

The corporation will start distributing the plants to residents along riverbanks from December. “Around six lakh plants would be planted in parks, roads and other parts of the city. A sapling would cost around Rs 7,” sources said.

“The tree would reduce mosquito menace in the city hugely as when a mosquito sits on a leaf of the plant it instantly loses its ability to breed and gradually dies,” a corporation official said.

“The leaves of Nochi plants must be dried and burnt and the fumes would act as a mosquito repellent,” said Professor Narasimhan, associate professor of Botany Madras Christian College.

He added that mere planting of Nochi along riverbanks could make the water bodies greener but that would not serve the bigger aim. “The plant has medicinal qualities. However it cannot succeed in destroying the mosquito population to a great extent,” he said.

“It would be a great relief if the plant repels the mosquitoes by itself without any other processing,” said K. G. Elango, a second year MCA student. “But if it has to be burnt, I would prefer a mosquito coil which also gets rid of the winged menace.”