Vijayawada: Alarmed at the spike in the number of snakebite incidences, Krishna district authorities have started campaigns designed to create awareness among the people on administering first aid to the victims.
On Thursday, seven snakebite cases were reported in Diviseema region, and one of them claimed the life of 40-year-old Kandula Seetamma die of Ramakrishnapuram in Koduru mandal.
Till the afternoon of Friday, one person was admitted to hospital after being bitten by a snake.
It was one of the nearly 70 snakebite cases reported in this year and the 350 last year.
While Diviseema has reported a majority of the cases, Gannavaram and Mailavaram mandals have also been in the grip of snake fear.
The government area hospital as well as private hospitals have been receiving snakebite complaints over the past few days, soon after the onset of monsoon and the first spell of rain in mid-July.
This has more to do with farmers and farm labourers starting work in the field early morning.
While delay in reaching the hospital has led to some deaths, tendency of the victim’s relatives to opt for unscientific “cures” too takes its toll.
Snakes tend to breed in overgrowth and greenery and as kharif season begins, farm workers fall victim to snakebite.
It’s believed that proliferation of snakes has been rapid since the floods of 2009. Locals say that the main reason for this is that the farmers have not used pellets in their paddy fields for three years.
On Friday, an awareness camp was conducted by the district authorities at Avanigadda where district collector A. Md. Imtiaz revealed that local MLA Simhadri Ramesh brought the issue to the notice of Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy. The CM ordered immediate action to avoid deaths due to snakebite.
Mr Imtiaz revealed that four ambulances along with two 108 service vehicles and a doctor have been made available for snakebites.
The collector also said that anti-venom injections have been made available round the clock in seven PHCs in Nagayalanka and Koduru mandal of Diviseema.
MLA Ramesh said that there was no need to be afraid of snakes if one understand the precautions to be taken and the first aid to be given.
