Growers don gumboots to guard against Russell’s viper

Ishwardi (Pabna) Correspondent :
Russell’s viper (Chandrabora) snake threat has spread across the grasslands of Ishwardi on the banks of the Padma River. Since 2018, two people are dying every year in Ishwardi due to Russell’s viper bites. Farmers and vegetable growers of Padma Char area are in the most panic. Farmers are now walking and cultivating in the paddy fields with gumboots. Even then, the fear of the Russell’s viper snake does not leave the mind.
On May 31, a banana farmer named Hafizur Rahman (45) of Digha village died after being bitten by a Russell viper snake in Char’s vegetable garden in Dadapur on the banks of the Padma River.
It is known that over the past five years, the infestation of Russell vipers has increased in Ishwardi. Earlier, several people died due to Russell’s viper snake bites in Pakshi, Dadapur, Sara, Majdia, Arambaria areas. Cultivator Abdur Rahman of Charkurlia village said that the infestation of Russell’s viper snakes has increased in Char’s vegetable garden. Even if we work with gumboot in feet in the banana plantation, the fear of this snake always works in our mind. Hospital authorities must ensure that antidote is readily available in case of snakebite. Moreover, the day laborers will not come to work in the fodder orchards and crop fields due to the fear of these snakes.