New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Centre to take state governments on board to address the issue of snakebites, which was prevalent across the country.
The matter came up before a bench comprising Justices B R Gavai and S V N Bhatti. The bench asked the Centre to take all states on board to "do something" in making available snakebite treatment in medical facilities. “You can take the states on board. The problem is throughout the country," the bench told the counsel, representing the Centre.
The bench suggested that the Centre can have a meeting with all the representatives of the states and together they can try to do something. "It is not an adversarial litigation," said the bench. The counsel said the government would place on record its steps taken on the issue.
Lawyers of some state governments, who were present in the courtroom during the hearing, said they would file their counter affidavit in the matter. After hearing submissions, the top court granted six weeks to the parties to bring on record their response.
The top court was hearing a plea claiming that the country is facing a significant public health crisis due to the scarcity of anti-venom, crucial in treating snake bites. The apex court in December 2024, sought the response from the Centre and others on the plea filed by Shailendra Mani Tripathi, an advocate.
The plea contended that there is a significant public health crisis due to the scarcity of anti-venom which was crucial for treating snake bites. The plea said India has the highest rate of snakebite deaths globally, with approximately 58,000 fatalities each year. It added that despite this much high mortality rate there is a scarcity of anti-venom (polyvenom). The plea also sought directions to conduct snakebite prevention health mission and snakebite public awareness campaigns to reduce mortality, especially in rural India.
