Govt urges devotees to celebrate cruelty-free Nagapanchami

Ahead of the forthcoming Nagapanchami festival, Telangana State Forest Department today urged people not to encourage or participate in the use of live snakes for worship.
The forest department's announcement initiated a public awareness drive, with support from Humane Society International/India and other local animal welfare NGOs.
It also made it clear that strict action would be taken against anyone found in possession of live snakes, according to a release.
According to the release, snake charmers take advantage of the demand for live snake worship during Nagapanchami and weeks ahead of the festival, snake charmers capture snakes, pull their fangs out, stitch their mouths shut and keep them in dirty cramped baskets with no access to light, fresh air, food and water.

The capture and display of snakes is an offence under Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, it said.
C Samyukta, wildlife campaign manager, HSI/India said, "In the name of worship, snakes are subjected to immense abuse right from the time of capture and all the way through the end of Nagapanchami."

During the festival, devotees offer milk to snakes and these dehydrated animals have no option but to drink it. Devotees think that snakes drink milk but the truth is snakes cannot digest milk and develop dysentery, infections and often die an ultimately death, Samyukta said.
"We urge the people to understand the consequences of their actions and celebrate a cruelty-free Nagapanchami from this year onwards," Samyukta added.

HSI/India has been working with the Forest Department, Friends of Snakes Society and other local NGOs in planning outreach activities aimed at educating the public on the illegalities and cruelty involved in the capture, display and worship of live snakes.
Public can report any snake charmers or incidences of live snake display during the festival on 1800-425-5364, the release added.