Awareness drive to curb exploitation of snakes on Nagapanchami

The Friends of Snakes Society along with Telangana Forest Department conducted an awareness programme at Erragadda on Monday to dissuade people from encouraging snake charmers during Nagapanchami, which falls on August 19. Snake charmers take snakes to households on Nagapanchami where devotees worship these snakes by sprinkling kumkum and haldi on them.

The snakes are not offered food or water for several weeks at a stretch and hence, when milk is offered on nagapanchami, these dehydrated snakes cannot digest it. The spectacled cobras are a protected species under Schedule II of Wildlife Protection Act of 1972.

Unauthorized possession of these snakes is a non-compoundable offence that is punishable with imprisonment and fine of upto Rs 10,000. Any information about snake charmers should be reported to the nearest police station, or to the forest department by calling their toll-free number 18004255364 or to Friends of Snakes Society at 8374233366.