Incidents of snake bites in Assam are increasing owing to deforestation, incessant rain and sudden rise in temperature.
This was informed by Devajit Moran, Tinsukia district convener of Assam Snake Rescue Network, on Thursday.
Moran informed that last fortnight a local journalist Nirmal Bora was bitten by a green pit viper while he was working in his orchard.
“He was immediately taken to Doom Dooma first referral unit and survived,” informed Moran.
“Again, last Wednesday a contractor named John Induvar was bitten by a monocled cobra while he was in his kitchen with his wife Maria. He was immediately taken to the hospital,” Moran further informed.
“An anti-venom was administered and this saved his life,” he further informed.
Moran and his team have rescued over 3,000 snakes in Upper Assam and neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh.
“More snake-bite cases are to be expected in Assam as the creatures are losing their habitat because of deforestation,” reported The Telegraph quoting Moran.
He further informed that an Indian Institute of Remote Sensing study carried out under the Indian Space Research Organisation has predicted depletion of 9,007 sq. km (2.94 per cent) of forests in parts of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh by 2028.
He further said that due to the depletion in their habitats the snakes enter human habitats and this tends to increase the snake-human conflicts in the state.
According to the study, Tinsukia is one of the highest deforested districts in Assam.
Moran further said that initiatives should be taken to solve problems related to snake bite cases as doctors say the existing polyvalent anti-venom serum is produced from snake varieties that are not local inhabitants.