Chalakkudy: Residents and farmers in Poolani region of Thrissur are in distress as the African snail invasion returns to the locality. The discharge from the snails is causing skin irritations in some residents while the spread of the organism poses a threat to crops fostered by the farmers. The locals are urging the authorities concerned to come up with scientific measures to curb the issue.

This region has been regularly facing the snail menace in the monsoon season of every year since the 2018 Kerala floods. At first. the issue was limited to Kombanpara check dam region and Chettithoppu riverbank region.

But now, it has spread to other regions too. The attempts by the gram panchayat and agricultural department to curb the snail menace have not yielded any results yet. 

The residents here have lodged a petition with the district collector seeking immediate action to prevent the invasion of African Snails. The locals have urged the administration to provide compensation for farmers’ crop loss.