Serpentine problem at Arignar Anna Sugar Mills

THANJAVUR, June 29: "Snakes, snakes everywhere. You should come to our rescue" reads a letter to the Chief Wildlife Warden, Tamil Nadu. The letter is from the management of the Government-owned Arignar Anna Sugar Mills at Kurungulam, which has been infilterated by about 4,000 snakes, many of them poisonous. King Cobras and Russels Vipers are among the reptiles that regularly invade the factory and the homes of the mill employees. The office rooms, canteens, guest houses and gardens are all home to the snakes, and the employees live in constant fear of snake bites. The Chief Wildlife Warden’s permission is required before snakes can be caught or killed, and the Warden, R P S Katwal, deputed Shekar Kumar Niraj, Wildlife Warden, Nagapattinam to inspect the campus. Niraj submitted a report saying the ratio of snakes to employees was 2:1.