Maharashtra: More than 1,000 snake bite cases, 14 deaths in 17 months in Raigad

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Fourteen people died in at least 1,118 cases of snake bites in Maharashtra's Raigad district in the last 17 months, officials said on Monday.

In light of the rise in incidents of snake bite, people have been advised to go for immediate medical intervention at the nearest hospital instead of consulting quacks or using traditional remedies, an official from the civil hospital said.

A total of 1,118 cases of snake bite were reported in the district from January 1, 2022 to June 3 this year, and 14 persons have died in these incidents, he said.

Most of the cases were reported in Alibag, Panvel, Khalapur, Mahad and Mangaon talukas, the official said, adding that there are 14 locations in the district where treatment for snake bite is available.

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In January the Bombay High Court had directed the Maharashtra state government to consider grievances of petitioners to provide compensation to others, apart from farm land owners, who succumb to snake bites. The HC bench of Acting Chief Justice S V Gangapurwala and Justice Sandeep Marne disposed of PIL filed by Vaibhav Kulkarni of NGO Nisarga Vidnyan Sanstha seeking financial aid to all heirs of victims of snake and scorpion bites alleging "discrimination'' in the state's policy that provides aid to agriculturists only. (With inputs from PTI)