Snakebite cases on rise in villages close to Pong Lake

Raghav Guleria

Dharamsala, August 3
Incidents of snakebite are on the rise in villages adjoining Pong Lake and five persons have died in these villages since June this year. In the last few years, especially during the rainy season, there has been a continuous increase in the cases of snakebite.
Villages, including Nagrota Surian, Sugnada, Khabbal, Bariyal, Nandpur, Katholi, Jarot, Ludret and Harsar, near Gaj river and Dehra, Bongta, Kherrian, Bhatoli Fakorian, Haripur and Guler between the Beas and Baner, are frequented by these reptiles. The serpents are active during monsoons as the water level of the lake rises and the reptiles start moving towards the surface.
Nagrota Surian BMO Dr Dushyant said the snakebite vaccine was available at Jawali Civil Hospital, Community Health Centre, Nagrota Surian, and all other Primary Health Centres (PHCs). According to him, a person bitten by snake should immediately be rushed to the nearby hospital as any loss of time could prove fatal. After primary screening for the symptoms, the referral dose of anti-snake venom is given. Antivenom is the treatment for serious snake envenomation. The sooner antivenom is started, the sooner irreversible damage from venom can be stopped.
According to Dr Sanjay Bajaj, Jwalamukhi BMO, snakebite vaccines required in case of a snakebite are readily available at Dehra, Haripur hospitals and all adjoining PHCs.
DFO Devinder Dadhwal, who has worked for a long duration in the region, said, “When I was posted here, more than 20 species of snakes were found here. Cobra and viper are the most dangerous species of snakes found in the wetland around Pong Lake.”
Dadhwal, who has also written a book on snake species, suggests that the doors of houses and pipes installed for drainage should be kept closed. Apart from this, vines of any kind should not be planted along the walls of the houses.