TIMES OF INDIA (New Delhi) 27 November 08 Snakes' day out in the suburbs (Vivek Narayanan)
Chennai: While heavy rains kept most Chennaiites indoors on Wednesday, they forced snakes out of their cubby holes in the suburbs, causing panic among residents. In Velachery, Madipakkam and Pattabiram, snakes were spotted crawling in the open.
“Yesterday, my wife was taking the kids to school on a two-wheeler when she spotted a snake crawling towards her. She stopped the bike and motioned the kids to remain silent. The reptile thankfully passed by. During the rainy season, this is a common occurrence,” said G Shankar, a Madipakkam resident.
Dense growth of shrubs and trees make the suburban areas a natural habitat for snakes. Many are found by the bushes near railway tracks, or close to slum dwellings abutting the Cooum and other water bodies.
“Snake menace in Velachery and Madipakkam is not new during the rainy season. Last year, my two-year-old kid caught a rat snake, to our horror. Such is the danger we face,” said L K Sadasivan of Velachery.
According to Vinod, residing in Kallukutai, a slum area, snakes were frequent guests at the 50,000-odd dwellings during the rains. “The snakes dwell inside abandoned huts and under shrubs. We do not know which one is poisonous and which one is not and, hence, try to chase each one away. Killing a snake is a sin,” he said.
In Pattabiram, snakes abound in Kakkan Nagar, Sastri Nagar and Devarajapuram. “There are a lot of snakes inside an abandoned government building in the locality. During rains, they come out and create a scare,” said T Sadagopan, a consumer activist.
Snakes' day out in the suburbs