Rourkela: A highly poisonous banded krait was rescued by snake helpline members here Tuesday. Later the snake, a very rare species, was released in the jungle by Forest department officials. The snake was found inside the quarter of a lady in ‘C’ block of Sector-14, which is under the jurisdiction of Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP). She immediately raised an alarm following which snake helpline member Kuna Mahali and his associate arrived at the spot. They caught the snake which was approximately four feet long. “This is a rare species of snake found in Rourkela. I have caught many poisonous and non-poisonous snakes in and around this city.
However, banded kraits are rarely seen here,” informed Kuna. He stated that the thick foliage around this town is a breeding ground for snakes. Rourkela and its nearby vicinities have a very thick cover of flora and fauna. The presence of the Durgapur hill range which divides the city is also a breeding spot for snakes. The snakes are visible mainly during the summer and monsoons. Rock pythons, different species of cobras and rat snakes are frequently found at various locations of this town. Due to the presence of venomous snakes, many residents living in various sectors of this city are always in panic. “I have taken a house on rent in Koelnagar because I found 15 poisonous snakes around my quarter in Sector-18. I was forced to vacate it and take a house on rent,” informed an RSP employee. A scribe, who was staying in an RSP quarter in Sector-21, shifted to Sector-VI because in one single year he found 20 reptiles around his home. “I had no alternative but to shift due to safety reasons,” he said.
Various organisations regularly conduct public awareness campaigns to prevent the killing of snakes. However, snakes killed by speeding cars on roads are a regular occurrence in this town. This year, the Ispat General Hospital (IGH) has treated 26 snakebite cases. Some of the cases were serious and the victims had to be kept in ICU. The Rourkela Government Hospital, on the other hand, has treated 69 snakebite victims so far. One death has also been reported due to snakebite with the person staying in a slum close to NIT-Rourkela.