TIMES OF INDIA (New Delhi) 20 October 10 Forest dept acts tough on snake fair
Kolaghat: The state forest department on Tuesday asked the organisers of the fair at Kolaghat's Sulani village not to display snakes at the fair. On Tuesday, TOI featured the 130-year-old fair, which attempts at "conservation of snakes". Snakes caught by villagers are released after the end of the four days of festivities.
DFO (East Midnapore) P K Pal, along with panchayat members, went to the site on Tuesday evening and held a meeting with the organisers. "We have asked the organisers not to catch snakes from the next year's fair," said Pal.
"Our officers told the organisers that the method that they have taken doesn't help in conservation of snakes. We have asked them not to break the fangs, as it harms the snakes. This is a centuries-old tradition and cannot be asked to stop all of a sudden. We have decided that an awareness campaign will be held at the same village during the forest week. They have been explained how they have violated the norms," said V K Yadav, conservator of forest, Midnapore range.
The organisers claimed that the forest department had asked them to hand over the snakes after the fair is over.
Forest dept acts tough on snake fair

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