Daijiworld Media Network- Mumbai

Mumbai, Feb 13: Battling the persistent mosquito menace, residents of a housing society in Pratiksha Nagar, Sion, and a chawl in Versova, Andheri, have adopted a unique and natural solution—releasing feeder guppies, a species of tropical fish known for feeding on mosquito larvae, into stormwater drains.

Residents of Abhiman cooperative housing society in Sion claim that this method has shown promising results. Atul Narayan Sakpal, the society’s manager, shared, “Using guppies has helped reduce mosquitoes significantly. However, this approach would be even more effective if more people adopted it, as mosquitoes breed in areas where guppies are absent.”

Ashok Row Kavi, another resident, highlighted the widespread problem of stagnant water in Mumbai. “Nearly 40% of the city is below sea level, leading to water accumulation in stormwater drains and gutters. Instead of relying on chemicals, I purchased a bucket full of feeder guppies from a wholesale market in Kurla and released them into the drains of our building. For the past two years, this method has proven to be highly effective in controlling mosquito breeding,” he said.

Similarly, Sumit Gavri, a resident of flower chawl in Seven Bungalows, Versova, shared that the chawl residents have been releasing guppies into drains for years. “These fish multiply quickly and help in reducing the mosquito population. While it may not completely eliminate mosquitoes, it certainly reduces the risk of diseases caused by mosquito bites.”

An official from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Insecticide Department acknowledged the effectiveness of guppies in mosquito control. “Guppies are efficient in controlling mosquito larvae, but they need access to breeding spots. Floating garbage in drains and nullahs can block their movement and reduce their impact.”

With the success of this eco-friendly initiative, residents hope that more communities across Mumbai will adopt similar measures to combat the mosquito menace.