Alappuzha: In a new safety initiative, the Kerala Forest Department has announced that school teachers will be trained to safely catch and relocate snakes, reducing the need to call in officials during such emergencies in schools.

The training is being rolled out under the Forest Department’s SARPA (Snake Awareness, Rescue and Protection App) programme. According to State Coordinator Mohammed Anwar, the goal is to equip teachers with the knowledge and skills to safely handle snake-related incidents in schools.

The programme is to be first launched in Palakkad district, where snake sightings in schools have been the highest in the state. After a successful pilot there, the training will be extended to other districts.

Snakebite death sparked concern

The initiative comes in response to growing concern over snakebites in schools. In 2019, a ten-year-old girl named Shehana Sherin from a school in Sultan Bathery tragically died after being bitten by a snake on school premises. The incident, which raised questions about emergency care and preparedness, sparked public outcry.

Following this, there have been several incidents of both students and teachers being bitten by snakes in various schools across Kerala, leading to calls for better safety protocols.

What the training will cover

The one-day training will be held on August 11 at Aranya Bhavan, Olavakkode, Palakkad, from 9 am to 5 pm. It will include:

  • How to safely catch and relocate snakes
  • Snake species identification
  • First aid and emergency response in case of snakebites

The Forest Department will cover all costs related to the training.