Forest department will now issue licences to snake catchers

Pune Mirror: The snake catchers in the state will now have to take a examination before obtaining a licence to catch snakes. Sarpamitra— the snake catchers, are supposed to help people catch snake and create awareness about snakes.

In order to obtain a licence, the snake catchers will now have to take an oral test and submit documentary proof of having caught at least 10 snakes.

Some snake catchers alongwith Andhshraddha Nirmulan Samiti had complained to the state forest minister Babanrao Pachpute about snake catchers’ lack of awareness about the snakes. Some people have lost their lives while attempting to catch snakes.

ANS activists and Pachpute held a meeting in this regard in May. The decisions taken in the meeting are to be implemented from this month.

According to Narendra Dabholkar, executive president of ANS, “A system to provide identity cards to snake catchers was devised in the meeting.

The snake catchers will have to apply for license a month before Nag Panchmi to the district conservator of forest.

A documentary evidence of catching at least ten snakes has to be provided along with this application. A separate question bank is prepared to check the applicant’s knowledge of snakes.”

Snake catchers will have benefits of obtaining licences. State government will provide them a insurance of Rs 25,000.

There will be another level of examination and those who pass it will be awarded a degree of a Snake Expert and an insurance of Rs 1 lakh.

Sanjay Kumar Pathak, chief conservator of forests, Pune range said, “We have already provided identity cards to some snake catchers in Pune region. But I do not have the exact figures. We have snake catchers in significant numbers.”

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