Forest Minister A.K. Saseendran felicitating Assistant Conservator of Forests and SARPA State Nodal Officer of Y. Mohammed Anwar in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday.
Forest Minister A.K. Saseendran has credited the role played by the SARPA application, designed by the Forest department, in bringing down snakebite deaths in Kerala.
Inaugurating the World Snake Day observance here on Tuesday, Mr. Saseendran emphasised the relevance of the app-based conservation efforts in improving snake handling and management.
Historically, Kerala has seen approximately 100-odd snakebite deaths annually. However, the emergence of the existing system has brought down the number of fatalities to just six this year, underscoring the applicationโs effectiveness and importance in snakebite management, the Minister said.
Delving into the diversity of the reptile, Mr. Saseendran pointed out that only 10 out of the 130 snake species found in Kerala are venomous, with five of these being marine snakes. The propagation of such facts should alleviate the unnecessary fear surrounding snakes in the society.
Sarpamitra awards distributed
He distributed the Sarpamitra Awards to volunteers recognised for their yeoman efforts in snake management. The Anti-Venom Hospital Mapping Data was also released on the occasion.
Head of Forest Force Ganga Singh, Chief Wildlife Warden D. Jayaprasad, Additional Principal Chief Conservators of Forests P. Pugazhendi and L. Chandrasekhar, Chief Conservator of Forests Sanjayan Kumar, Thiruvananthapuram Corporation councillor V.G. Girikumar, Deputy Director of Health Services Bipin K. Gopal and Indian Medical Association district president G.S. Vijayakrishnan also spoke on the occasion.
