BHUBANESWAR: Over 100 snake charmers on Saturday came out with their serpents and staged a protest on the Mahatma Gandhi Marg, the main road in front of the State Assembly, against the restrictions imposed on their activities by the wildlife wing of the State Forest Department.

The snake charmers, who belong to Padmakesharpur village on the outskirts of the capital city, made their snakes dance on the street to draw public attention on their `plight'. They were asking the State Government to announce an alternative livelihood package for them as the Forest Department restricted their professional activities.

Dig at government

"How can the government be so insensitive towards the plight of snake charmers whose population is over 10,000 in the State? Ban was imposed on public display of snakes without assessing that what would happen to the tribe that had been eking out their livelihood by displaying various types of snakes," Mahendra Parida, convenor of Lok Adhikar Manch (LKM), said. The LKM has been spearheading the agitation for the last two years.

Mr. Parida said: "the government had promised to issue licences to snake charmers for venom extraction and appoint youths in snake parks as part of arrangement of alternative livelihood for the tribe. However, nothing has been done during the last two years." The Snake Charmers' Association demanded that the state government immediately publish a list specifying names of the snake species which were prohibited for catching and display.

Harassment alleged

"Snake charmers were being subjected to harassment by forest officials as they did not have other options but to continue with the profession. The authorities should have discussed the issue before imposing ban on our inherited occupation," said Chittaranjan Das, president of the association.

The association president claimed that over 4,000 snake charmers of Padmakesharpur had been affected due to the restrictions of the state government.

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