Snake at your doors
Surat: With 300 snakes being rescued from different parts of the city including from the educational institutions and residential societies, Surtis are yet to learn how to deal the situation where human and snakes are face to face.
The slither reptile and its hissing is enough to stun a layman who does not know the ABC of snakes. The rescue calls attended by the NGOs it self depicts the situation where people in some of the areas are literally living with snakes. When TOI tried to find out some of the basics to handle the situation most gave a blank look. The issue according to NGO members should not be taken lightly as in case of snake bite the lack of awareness could cost a life.
“The sight of a snake itself scares and stuns commoner. We often get calls from schools, colleges and other institutions apart from residential societies and we realised that the level of awareness about both how to behave at the time of face-to-face with snake and in case of snake bite is alarmingly low. I strongly feel that the way mock drills are organised to create awareness in case of fire, same should be organised for human-snake conflict,” says Darshan Desai of Prayas Team Environment.
Desai admitted that in most cases the victims are completely dependent on organisations rather than taking some of the basic precautions. “It is true that in our absence it would be difficult for a school teacher or a resident to handle the situation because they are in complete dark about do’s and don’ts. We reach to the spot in minimum time but it is necessary for people to know what to do in case of snake bite.”
TOI talked to different schools to find out their preparedness to tackle an emergency situation but shockingly none of them were having some of the crucial information about first aid, myths attached to snake bite including sucking the wounded part as seen in the movies and nearest hospitals with ventilator facilities.
Incidents as narrated by rescuers suggest that in some cases snakes actually moved in the schools where hundreds of students were present. In VNSGU campus where thick bushes have grown in campus as well as hostels are ideal place for snakes. But least information was available about how to handle the situation.
The slither reptile and its hissing is enough to stun a layman who does not know the ABC of snakes. The rescue calls attended by the NGOs it self depicts the situation where people in some of the areas are literally living with snakes. When TOI tried to find out some of the basics to handle the situation most gave a blank look. The issue according to NGO members should not be taken lightly as in case of snake bite the lack of awareness could cost a life.
“The sight of a snake itself scares and stuns commoner. We often get calls from schools, colleges and other institutions apart from residential societies and we realised that the level of awareness about both how to behave at the time of face-to-face with snake and in case of snake bite is alarmingly low. I strongly feel that the way mock drills are organised to create awareness in case of fire, same should be organised for human-snake conflict,” says Darshan Desai of Prayas Team Environment.
Desai admitted that in most cases the victims are completely dependent on organisations rather than taking some of the basic precautions. “It is true that in our absence it would be difficult for a school teacher or a resident to handle the situation because they are in complete dark about do’s and don’ts. We reach to the spot in minimum time but it is necessary for people to know what to do in case of snake bite.”
TOI talked to different schools to find out their preparedness to tackle an emergency situation but shockingly none of them were having some of the crucial information about first aid, myths attached to snake bite including sucking the wounded part as seen in the movies and nearest hospitals with ventilator facilities.
Incidents as narrated by rescuers suggest that in some cases snakes actually moved in the schools where hundreds of students were present. In VNSGU campus where thick bushes have grown in campus as well as hostels are ideal place for snakes. But least information was available about how to handle the situation.
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