Sangli:Battis Shirala, a village in the Shirala tehsil of this district,on Monday celebrated the Naga Panchami void of snakes as per the directives of the Bombay High court.
The village which is nearly 70 km away from Sangli city had earned notoriety for catching snakes,and then performing poojas on the creatures,which was viewed as an act of animal cruelty.
Prior to the Court's order,tourists in large numbers came to the village for witnessing the divinely act of adulating venomous snakes followed by the serpentines' public exhibition.
In 2014,the Bombay High court placed a ban on catching of live snakes for celebrating Naga Panchami,and since then Battis Shirala performs poojas on dummy snakes.
In this year's Naga Panchami,a procession carrying a palanquin of deity Amba Mata alongside dummy snakes,was taken out.
The district administration issued warnings that contravening the High Court's order during Naga Panchami celebrations will lead to negative repercussions.
Around 600 personnels,including the officials from the Revenue,Forests and Police Departments,kept a hawk's eye on this year's festival,which was even recorded in 30 CCTVs placed around the nooks and corners of Battis Shirala.
Hopes are set on the newly-elected MP Dhairyasheel Mane,who earlier met the Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar,seeking a permission for performing poojas on snakes.
Helpline for snake rescue on Nagpanchami in Hyderabad
Hyderabad: Sahayog Organisation jointly with Wildlife Protection Society and Bharatiya Prani Mitra Sangh (BPMS) and other animal welfare organisation would rescue snakes from the snake charmers during this Nag Panchami Festival slated on Aug 5, a statement said on Sunday.A helpline number was also established in this connection, BPMS Secretary Mahesh Agarwal said.
Catching snakes, public display of snakes or causing injury to them is them is a legal offence which can lead to imprisonment under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
He appealed to the devotees not to feed milk to a snake. The snake can't digest milk hence it will be harmful for its body.
Mr Agarwal, who is also the Honarary Animal welfare officer of Animal welfare board of India, also asked to devotees to perform the poojas only at temples. Snake Charmers subject the snakes to various types of cruelties which in turn kill the snakes in the near future.Only 10 volunteers of various animal welfare organisations would go around various places in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation Limits on Nagpanchami day to check snake related activities.
The rescued snakes would be released into natural habitat as per the direction of Forest Department, he said.
Last year also we found only two snakes, this year also there is good rain in the recent and due to the awarenesss among the people, we hope no snake charmer will bring the snakes into the city, not only in the city in other areas of Telangana state also there are no snake charmers , he expressed.(UNI)