Snakebite cases surge in Tarai districts

BY CHABILAL PANDEY,Butwal, Aug. 5: Cases of snakebite are on the rise in the Tarai with the onset of the rainy season. Rupandehi district in Lumbini Province is no exception. Incidents of snakebite have surged with the regular rainfall and extreme heat in recent weeks, causing widespread fear and concern among residents.

According to Lumbini Provincial Hospital, it received 321 snakebite patients in the past three months alone with 187 patients in mid-June to mid-July, 107 in mid-May to mid-June and 47 in mid-April to mid-May.

After more snakes started appearing and attacking the locals, snake rescuers have become very busy catching the venomous snakes that enter the houses or roam around them.  

Saru Kanchha, a snake rescuer from Panbari of Sainamaina Municipality-10 in Rupandehi, is busy as the presence of venomous snakes has increased. 

Like Kanchha, another snake rescuer Chet Bahadur Saru from Jhimjhiya of the same ward has also been busy rescuing snakes as people have been frightened at the sight of venomous snakes. 

Saru Kanchha has rescued more than 60 venomous snakes such as cobras and kraits and released them into the forest in the past three months. He also receives money from people for rescuing snakes. Instead of using the money for personal expenditure, he has been using it to help cancer patients, postpartum women and children.

Kanchha said that once he was bitten by a cobra while rescuing it and barely survived. He said, "I may die, but I will not quit this work." Popular as a snake rescuer, Kancha is also known as a social worker.

At this frightening situation, Chet Bahadur has also become a blessing for the people of Butwal's western region. Whenever someone calls him for help, he promptly goes to rescue the snakes. He receives calls day and night to rescue snakes that have entered homes. Even at midnight, he gets up to go for a rescue.

He said, "Catching snakes is certainly a dangerous bid. If bitten, it can be fatal. But if my small help can benefit others, I am ready to take the risk." He mostly releases the rescued snakes into nearby forests. Currently, cobras and kraits are the most prevalent snakes in the Tarai.

Dr. Netra Rana, information officer at the Lumbini Provincial Hospital in Butwal, said that snakebite patients had increased with the onset of summer and monsoon. Stating that the hospital received snakebite patients ranging from young children to the elderly daily, he said that prompt hospital treatment after a snakebite highly increases the chances of survival. He said that due to increased public awareness, more snakebite victims were coming to the hospital promptly, resulting in a significant decrease in fatalities.