Chandigarh, Sept 10 — As Punjab struggles to recover from the recent floods, residents are facing a new threat: a sharp rise in snakebite cases across the state.
According to official data, 690 snakebite incidents were reported in August alone, with 129 cases from flood-hit Gurdaspur, 81 from Jalandhar, 58 in Patiala, 52 in Ludhiana and 48 in Amritsar. The spike coincided with the last week of August, when rising waters in the Sutlej and Ghaggar rivers inundated large tracts of land.
Health department sources said the trend has continued into September. More than 200 cases have been reported statewide in just the first week, most of them from districts still reeling under flood damage.
Health Minister Dr. Balbir Singh attributed the increase to snakes being displaced from their burrows by floodwaters. “Snakes have entered damp and dark corners of homes, leading to more encounters with people,” he said, warning that “the real challenge starts now, once the water recedes.”
Issuing an advisory, Singh urged residents to remain vigilant against both snake and dog bites. He advised people to carry torches and sticks at night and to seek immediate medical help if bitten. “Despite anti-snake venom being available in government hospitals, many patients delay reporting, which makes treatment more difficult,” he noted.
The minister directed officials to strengthen response systems and appealed to the public to dial 104 in case of emergencies such as high fever, acute diarrhoea, snakebites or dog bites.
Highlighting the strain on the health sector, Singh revealed that medicines worth Rs 130 crore had been destroyed, while 1,280 dispensaries and wellness centres were badly damaged. In addition, 101 community health centres and 31 sub-divisional hospitals were affected.
He has written to the Union Health Minister, seeking Rs 780 crore to provide medical services in flood-affected districts and to rebuild critical health infrastructure.
