Bengaluru: Thanks to the rapid urbanisation, which is encroaching upon the habitat of snakes -- Karnataka is witnessing a steep rise in snake bites and deaths.
The year 2024 witnessed 13,235, resulting in the death of 100 people, as against 6596 snake bites resulting in 19 deaths in 2023. In 2022, 3,339 snake bites were recorded, resulting in 17 deaths.
Going by the districts, Tumakuru recorded the most deaths with nine people succumbing to snake bites, while Hassan recorded the highest number of snake bites with 850.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao provided the details in the Legislative Council on Aug 11, while answering a question by MLC S Ravi. He also noted that the State had enough stocks of anti-venom in all community, primary and taluk health centers.
However, the snake bites are more seen in urban areas, especially the new areas being expanded adjacent to the cities.
The Karnataka Snake Rescuers' Union President Shivaraj said that the number of snake bites would be going up in coming days, as the government is not taking the serious note of the problem.
``The rapid urbanisation across the state, where the people are expanding the residential and business area into traditional agricultural and forest area is the most important cause for increasing snake bites. These are the traditional territory of the snakes, and they will have nowhere to go. The conflict begins as the snakes are highly territorial,'' he said.
The other major reason is the solid waste management, which is improper in all over the urban areas. The improper disposal of waste like coconut shells, milk packets attract a lot of rats. Naturally, the snakes come there to hunt rats and when the human beings go there in odd hours, they are vulnerable for snake bites, he pointed out.
Stating that the snake bites would have been much higher, but for the snake rescuers, Shivaraj said that they were on a protest, as the government has failed to come up with a proper policy for snake-human conflict.
``The snakes are schedule one animal and are covered under the Wildlife Protection Act. Like animal-human conflict task forces for tigers and elephants, there is a need for a human-snake conflict task force. As of now, the snake rescuers are doing an almost honorary job. There are over 1000 snake rescuers in the state and everyone attends at least five calls every day, averting at least 5000 conflicts. Since the rescuers are not from affluent backgrounds and are doing honorary jobs, the government should recognise their services and do something,'' Shivaraj added.
