Guppy fish to fight against dengue

In a bid to eradicate malaria and dengue menace from society, a social worker has taken a drive of distributing 'Guppy fish' to the villages in Mysore district.

Social Worker Somashekar Gowda who is breeding Guppy fish is distributing about 10 lakh fishes in district at free of cost. On Tuesday, he distributed about 10,000 fishes at D Salundi where dengue virus has spread across village, taking four lives. He has placed Guppy fishes in more than 50 puddles in and around of villages, where mosquitoes breed.

He says, Guppy fishes is the right solution to control dengue virus, as its prevent mosquitoes of breeding by eating larvae. “When guppy fishes eat larvae it controls the regeneration of mosquitoes. By placing a pair of guppy fishes is puddles, ponds, huge difference can be witnessed. As dengue has proved fatal, its high time citizens should breed guppy fishes in their surroundings and prevent spread of viral diseases,” he said.

He says, if Mysore City Corporation takes initiative to place a small cement pond in every 100 meters and breed Guppy fishes, in a span of four months Mysore can be declared as free of mosquitoes, eradicating dengue and malaria.

Kalpavruksha Trust President Dr HB Rajashekar said dengue fever is caused due to Aedes Egypti Mosquito and female anopheles mosquitoes are responsible for the spread of malaria. “The female mosquitoes breed on stagnant water. When guppy fishes are left in pond, the fishes eat the larvae produced by mosquitoes, destroying the breeding from the root level. It helps to curb dengue, malaria menace,” he observed.

Asking people to borrow fishes from Somashekar at free of cost and ensure mosquitoes not breed in their surroundings, he seeked help of people to make Mysore a role model district in state. For details contact 93427 10209 or 99725 28181.