The good: respite from scorching heat. The bad: higher chances of floods. The ugly: rising cases of snakebites. That’s monsoon’s scorecard so far in more than 36 districts of Uttar Pradesh where venomous snakes are found in abundance.
From April 2022 to March 2023, the state recorded 497 deaths due to snakebites, down from 1,000 deaths recorded in 2021-22. This year, the Yogi Adityanath government had ordered elaborate arrangements to deal with the menace, but snake rescuers say a lot more needs to be done to minimise the threat to human life.
Most Deaths in Sonbhadra
Of the 75 districts in the state, around two dozen districts, most in east UP, have reported higher cases of snakebites. Sonbhadra was on the top of this list in 2022-2023, with 45 deaths recorded by the government. That’s a drop, however, from 2021-2022 when the district recorded around 100 snakebite deaths.
With 38 deaths recorded, Barabanki was second on the list. The district recorded a total of 59 snakebite incidents. Kaushambi district was third with 34 deaths due to snakebites. Fatehpur, Sirtapur and Lalitpur districts were next with 28, 27 and 26 deaths, respectively.
The Safest Districts
Some districts, however, reported no deaths due to snakebites. The following remained safest in this regard in 2022-23:
- Aligarh
- Bahraich
- Bhadohi
- Bulandshahar
- Gautam Buddha Nagar
- Jaulaun
- Jhansi
- Kanpur Nagar
- Shamli
- Sambhal
- Rampur
- Meerut
- Mathura
- Lakhimpur Kheri
- Kansganj
Species of Snakes Found in UP
More than 90 species of snakes are found in Uttar Pradesh. Their population is higher in Lakhimpur Kheri district that lies in the terai lowlands, spread over 300 sqkm of forest areas comprising Dudhwa National Park. It has lush green vegetation and rivers like Sharda, Ghagra, Koriyala, Ull, Sarayan, Saryu, Mohana, Gomti and Chauka.
East UP, which is considered to be the agricultural belt, is also home to hundreds of snake species, including the rare Green Mamba and Coral Red Kukri snakes. In the local language, Cobra is called ‘Bhaisa Doom’, Russell Viper is called ‘Behra Bajaj’. These snakes are forced to venture out during monsoons, resulting in man-animal conflict.
Venomous vs Non-Venomous Snakes
“There is a dire need to educate people about snakes as the majority of species are non-venomous. In most of the cases, the person dies due to heart attack and not due to the snake venom. If people know the difference, they won’t panic after a snake bite and their life could be saved. We also need to educate people against superstition to ‘cure’ snakebites. Anti-venom is the only treatment that can save lives,” says Murli Dahar Yadav, a wildlife enthusiast, snake rescuer and social worker who hails from Jaunpur district of Uttar Pradesh.
Steps Taken by Govt
Government officials say Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed the health department to ensure availability of snakebite kits at all primary health centres (PHCs) and community health centres (CHCs).
The government has also declared deaths due to snakebites a state calamity and increased the compensation amount to Rs 4 lakh to be disbursed within seven days. Earlier, the compensation process was complicated, requiring viscera report to confirm death due to snakebite. The government has now done away with the requirement of viscera report.
“Other than carrying out extensive relief exercises in flood-prone districts, ensuring the availability of anti-snake venom at the health centres is also our top-most priority. It is worth mentioning that when compared to last year’s data, a formidable dip in snakebites has been recorded. We are also coordinating with the health department to ensure timely medication to patients in case of any snakebites,” said Naveen Kumar, relief commissioner, UP Government.
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