Vava Suresh’s proposed certification as a snake rescuer raises eyebrows

The State Forest Department’s decision to grant Vava Suresh, the self-styled snake salvager, certification as a snake rescuer, has run into trouble with the legality of the decision being questioned.

The State Forest Department’s decision to grant Vava Suresh, the self-styled snake salvager, certification as a snake rescuer, has run into trouble with the legality of the decision being questioned.

The department is all set to hand over Mr. Suresh the certification on Wednesday after completing some formalities, said an official of the department.

The decision to grant the certification to Mr. Suresh, who has been arraigned as an accused in three cases booked by the Forest Department by invoking the Wildlife Protection Act 1972, has raised eyebrows.

While two cases were registered in Punalur for the illegal possession and transporting of venomous snakes, another case was booked in Kozhikode for its illegal possession and transportation besides putting the lives of people in peril by allowing them to handle venomous snakes at an exhibition held at Government Medical College, Kozhikode, last year. These offences are punishable under Section 9 of the Act.

Though the antecedents of the applicants are usually sought including the wildlife and criminal cases booked against the applicants, it was overlooked in the case of Mr. Suresh, sources pointed out.

Mr. Suresh, who had been hosting a TV show on snake rescue, has not undergone the training organised by the department on scientific snake rescue, which exposes the applicants to various aspects of the job. The department has so far trained over 3,700 people and found 2,066 eligible for certification, they pointed out.

Incidentally, Mr. Suresh, who had suffered 14 snake bites during the handling of snakes, had battled for his life on a few occasions. The unscientific handling led to the bites besides injuring the snakes on those occasions, officials said.