Latest news with #Karnataka-based
Time of India
3 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
IFC-led investor group in talks to pick up 30% stake in ReNew's C&I unit
An investor group led by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) is looking to buy a 30 per cent stake in ReNew Power 's commercial and industrial (C&I) power generation unit, according to people briefed on the matter. IFC, an arm of the World Bank Group, could plough about $250 million into the unit along with a co-investor, they said. The proposed investment could peg the equity value of the unit, which supplies renewable power to customers such as Amazon and Microsoft, at $800 million, they added. Several commercial users are turning to renewable energy suppliers to lower their fuel bills and meet decarbonisation goals. The proposed investment aligns with IFC's priorities of backing businesses with positive social or environmental impact. However, the deal could face delays as ReNew's management prioritises delisting the company's parent ReNew Energy Global Plc from Nasdaq, according to multiple sources. Till then all other strategic transactions are on hold, they said. ReNew founder Sumant Sinha along with Masdar, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and Platinum Hawk have announced an offer to take the US-listed parent private. Company has mobilised $680 million over 3 years IFC and ReNew Power did not respond to ET's queries on the matter. Gurugram-based ReNew's C&I unit has set up 2 gigawatts (GW) of electricity generation capacity for commercial users. The contracts are structured in a way that typically requires the user to make an investment in a captive power unit that generates electricity exclusively for the entity. As of March 31, the company's overall portfolio consisted of 17.3 GW of wind and solar power projects. This compares with 13.5 GW as of March 31, 2024. The C&I portfolio is a sub-component of its total power generation capacity . The company has mobilised capital worth $680 million through the sale of assets, divestment of minority stakes and forming joint ventures over the last 36 months. Some of its recent deals include the sale of a 51 per cent stake in Karnataka-based Koppal Narendra Transmission Ltd together with a 300 MW solar project in Rajasthan to KKR-sponsored IndiGrid for ₹2,100 crore. It also sold a portfolio of rooftop solar projects of 138 MW capacity to TPG Capital-backed Fourth Partner Energy for ₹672 crore. "Going forward, the group is expected to mobilise capital through complete asset sale and selling minority stake to strategic partners in various assets and some of the other key projects like module manufacturing, C&I sub-holdco among others," said a recent CARE Ratings report. ReNew posted a total income of ₹10,907 crore ($ 1.27 billion) in FY25. The company website says it's among the top seven renewable power producers globally. It posted a net profit of ₹459 crore in FY25.
Mint
4 days ago
- Business
- Mint
Coop sugar mills ditch molasses for grains to keep ethanol flowing year-round
About a dozen cooperative sugar mills operating molasses-based distilleries have applied to convert their ethanol plants to be run on more widely available grains. Molasses is produced during the process of making sugar from sugarcane. But the sugarcane crushing period is limited to 4-5 months in a year, which means sugar mills dependent on molasses can only operate for a limited period. Switching to grains like maize and damaged food grains would ensure year-round ethanol production and improved efficiency for cooperative sugar mills, whose output has been reduced to about a third of India's overall sugar production. Out of India's 269 cooperative sugar mills, 93 operate molasses-based distilleries. 'Out of these 93 distilleries… 10 of them applied for conversion of existing sugarcane-based (molasses) feedstock ethanol plants to multi-feedstock-based plants,' said Prakash Naiknavare, managing director, National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories Ltd. Of these 10, eight are in Maharashtra, which is among India's largest sugarcane growing states, and one each in Gujarat and Karnataka. The federation is working on modalities so more cooperative sugar mills convert their distilleries from molasses to multi-feedstock. 'We have applied to convert our existing molasses distillery into multi-feedstock to increase our efficiency,' said R.B. Khandagave, managing director, Karnataka-based Chidanand Basaprabhu Kore Sahakari Sakkare Karkhane. 'Currently, our distillery is operational for around 200 days, but once the multi-feedstock is in place it would be operational throughout the year.' Currently, private and cooperative sugar mills in India produce about 3.5 billion litres of ethanol annually. Of this, cooperative sugar mills account for about 1 billion litres. In terms of sugar production, cooperative sugar mills account for about 35% of the national output, which is estimated at 26.1 million tonnes in 2024-25. According to a senior official in the government's co-operation department, the conversion to multi-feedstock plants will increase the financial viability and ensure better cash flows for cooperative sugar mills. In March, the Union government notified a scheme offering interest subvention, or a lower borrowing rate, for cooperative sugar mills converting ethanol distilleries to multi-feedstock units. Under the modified Ethanol Interest Subvention Scheme, the government offers an interest subvention of 6% per annum or 50% of the rate of interest charged by financial institutions, whichever is lower. The interest subvention is provided for a period of five years by the government, including a one-year moratorium on loan repayment. Cooperative sugar mills availing the benefit of interest subvention will also be given Priority-1 status by oil market companies. This aligns with the government's Ethanol Blended Petrol Programme, which mandates 20% ethanol blending with petrol. On 26 February, during the Advantage Assam 2.0 business summit in Guwahati, petroleum minister Hardeep S. Puri said 19.6% ethanol blending has been achieved so far. 'The conversion to multi-feedstock based plants would not only make the existing ethanol plants of the mills capable of operating when sugar-based feedstocks are not available for ethanol production, but will also improve efficiency and productivity of these plants,' said an official associated with cooperative sugar mills.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Time of India
Exposed: How fake visa rackets are targeting Indian jobseekers for the Gulf
Thousands of Indians are being defrauded by organised visa mafia networks promising fake Gulf jobs, leading to financial ruin and shattered dreams/Representative Image TL;DR: Organised networks in India are issuing fake Gulf job and tour visas, defrauding individuals of ₹23 lakh to ₹67 lakh per application. Law enforcement recently disrupted major operations in Mumbai, Bengaluru, Surat, Hyderabad, Gandhinagar, and Delhi. These syndicates use forged medical documents, manipulated sponsor IDs, and doctored authorizations, often involving middlemen and local agents. Travel agents in India have even been blacklisted by the US State Department, indicating the international spread of such scams . For Indians seeking legitimate Gulf opportunities, strict vigilance, government-verified agents, and embassy data checks are crucial. A Rising Surge in Visa Scams In early 2025, Mumbai airport authorities detained seven Indians attempting to board flights with counterfeit Schengen (not Gulf) visas arranged by Gulf-based agents. This incident highlighted sophisticated forgery capabilities, especially among unregistered operators in Gujarat. At the same time, Mangaluru police broke up a Karnataka-based racket , involving over 300 victims collectively defrauded of ₹4 crore, with forged sponsorship documents from a firm calling itself 'Hireglow Elegant Overseas International'. Major Cases with Real Victims A couple in Ahmedabad paid ₹37.5 lakh to an agent promising UK work visas, only to later discover them to be fraudulent. In Gandhinagar, a family lost ₹27 lakh to forged sponsorship letters and fake health certificates related to Gulf work visas. A ₹67 lakh scam in Surat targeted seven individuals, promising Gulf and New Zealand visas via an unlicensed consultancy. A large-scale operation in Delhi revealed a forgery syndicate issuing 5,000 fake visas worth ₹300 crore over five years. In Hyderabad, police found 14 doctored passports and visa templates used to facilitate illegal migration to the Gulf. Another probe in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh revealed state-based agents tampering with legitimate Gulf work visas, effectively enabling visa tourism to bypass emigration rules. These cases show a disturbing trend: exploited individuals and groups are being targeted by deceptive practises that rely on falsified government documents and the collusion of fake travel agencies. How the Scam Triangles Operate Middleman networks often use layered operations: Misleading promises: Individuals are told they can secure Gulf visas or sponsorship quickly. Agents and brokers: Unlicensed agents prepare passports and educational/medical documents to appear institutionally verified. Fabricated authorisations: Forged sponsorship details and ministry stamps are added to create a veneer of legitimacy. Ticket issuance: Agents secure actual plane tickets, creating an illusion of a real visa arrangement. Arrest or travel denial: Victims only discover the fraud at the airport or through employer check failures. The scale is alarming: a single operation in Delhi issuing 5,000 visas over half a decade shows organised, long-term planning. A Broken Trust Cycle and Growing Overseas Harassment Victims often find themselves financially ruined. Many receive entry bans or criminal notices upon arriving without legitimate visas. Even those deported are not always refunded as perpetrators vanish, leaving families without compensation. Alarmingly, the US State Department has imposed visa bans on several Indian travel agents for facilitating illegal migration. This signals that visa scam networks have extended into the global South, showing that the ripple impact of these operations spans across international borders. Official Responses: Law Enforcement & Diplomatic Relief Indian state governments and police units are actively disrupting these networks: Delhi : Authorities raided a passport-forgery hub in southwest Delhi, seizing forged visa stamps and arresting several people. Gujarat : Immigration and local police are building cases using the Kalol Chemist and Ors Prevention of Corruption Act (KCOCA) for fraud with state and central government institutions. Karnataka and Telangana : Targeted raids in Hyderabad and Mangaluru have been launched to prevent livelihood scams aimed at Kerala and Andhra migrants. Embassies and consulates across the Gulf have also issued travel warnings over high-risk visa brokers, urging Indians to use only registered and embassy-recognised recruitment agencies. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villas For Sale in Dubai Might Surprise You Dubai villas | search ads Get Deals Undo Key Warning Signs & Protective Steps Anyone considering Gulf migration should apply these checks: Validate agency credentials: Ask for licensing from the Ministry of External Affairs or state labour department. Check with Gulf embassies: Use official websites to confirm visa processes and sponsorship forms. Review visa documents: Ensure visa format matches official letterheads and includes references like MRV and QR codes. Insist on formal contracts: Only proceed when you have legal, signed employment or sponsorship documents. Proceed with financial caution: Avoid lump-sum payments before visas are issued or flights booked. If approached by an agent with promising offshore jobs at high costs, these steps can help avoid scams. Why It Matters: The Human and Economic Cost The impact is both personal and national: Emotional distress disrupts families and communities as individuals left stranded abroad or banned from re-entry. Economic loss: Many middle-class individuals remit money expecting to improve livelihoods, only to be financially collapsed. Reputation damage: If perceptions of Indians abroad decline, it may affect future migrant-friendly policies in Gulf nations. Diplomatic strain: Repeated infractions can put pressure on embassy resources and increase administrative hold-ups for actual job migrants. Behind the glossy allure of Gulf work visas lie dark, predatory networks that exploit genuine aspirants. With huge sums stolen and thousands of fake visas issued, these scams are not fringe operations, they are organised fraud industries. At-risk applicants must follow official channels, verify documents personally, and remain alert to inconsistencies. Only then can they avoid falling prey and governments can curb such exploitation at scale. FAQs: Protecting Yourself Against Visa Scams 1. How can I check if a visa broker is legitimate? Verify if they are registered with the Ministry of External Affairs (India) or the state labour department. Embassy websites often list accredited agents. 2. What's a typical red flag in these scams? Lump-sum fees upfront, unreasonably fast processing, paperwork with no QR codes or official numbering, and any deviation from standard visa format. 3. What if I've already been defrauded? Report immediately to local Cyber Crime cell and get an FIR registered. Notify the embassy or consulate of the Gulf country involved. 4. Are these scams concentrated in any Indian states? Major fraud clusters have emerged in Gujarat (Ahmedabad, Surat, Gandhinagar), Delhi, Karnataka (Mangaluru), and Telangana (Hyderabad). 5. Can foreigners in India also be targeted? Yes,anyone seeking overseas visas is vulnerable. The same syndicates sometimes promise tours, study visas, or migration to Canada, New Zealand, US, EU. 6. What legal changes are underway? Indian states are invoking anti-corruption and crime laws and Gulf embassies are tightening visa agent accreditation.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Doctors: U-shaped classroom seating can be pain in the neck! Literally
Bengaluru: Taking a cue from the climax scene in Sthanarthi Sreekuttan, a Malayalam movie, many schools in south India are adopting a U-shaped seating arrangement in classrooms. A Karnataka-based child rights activist, Nagasimha Rao, has submitted a formal request to the state education minister Madhu Bangarappa, urging the implementation of a semi-circular seating pattern. Rao emphasised that this seating configuration fosters inclusivity and equal participation among students, besides eliminating back benches. However, doctors raise concerns about musculoskeletal and orthopaedic health due to such seating arrangements. "For children aged 10-12 years and beyond, prolonged sitting with bent heads during lessons can lead to muscular issues and neck pain. The concern is more relevant for teenagers aged 10-16, when academic demands intensify, requiring longer periods of seated study,'' said Dr Naveen Tahasildar, consultant spine surgeon at Sparsh Hospital, Infantry Road. You Can Also Check: Bengaluru AQI | Weather in Bengaluru | Bank Holidays in Bengaluru | Public Holidays in Bengaluru The seating arrangement could impact teachers as well. "It poses potential physical strain on teachers who need to repeatedly twist their bodies to maintain eye contact with students. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like One plan. Total peace of mind. ICICI Pru Life Insurance Plan Get Quote Undo Additionally, students sitting closer to the teacher hear better than those further away," added Dr Tahasildar. He, however, pointed out that it may not affect younger children - aged 5-10 years - much as their spines are quite flexible and their muscles are still developing. A former backbencher, Dr Kaushik Murali, a paediatric ophthalmologist at Sankara Hospital, Bengaluru believes the U-shaped seating arrangement could potentially result in refractive errors being missed. The traditional seating arrangement has several advantages, he said. "Children sitting at the back who struggle to read the board often get early eye tests. Their self-reporting of difficulty in reading is what often prompts eye examinations. In montessori settings, where pupils sit around tables, refractive errors might go unnoticed as there's less need for distance vision." Schools that mull introducing this seating arrangement can have children move their heads periodically, suggested Dr Gowri Shankar Swamy, a consultant ortho spine surgeon at DHEE Hospital. "Teachers could also consider making children switch their seats after each period," said Dr Gowri. The seating system has garnered support from educators and pupils alike, despite its limitations.
The Hindu
05-07-2025
- Science
- The Hindu
What India must get right
How do you know that a Russell's viper is knocked out from the anaesthetic it has been given, since snakes don't have eyelids that would helpfully close? You monitor the tail, always the last to stop moving, explains Lisa Gonsalves, curator at Karnataka-based The Liana Trust, a non-profit working on human-snake co-existence. She calmly strokes the sedated, highly venomous snake stretched out on a white table, its top half in a transparent tube. Once the tail stops twitching, Gonsalves and Gerard 'Gerry' Martin, herpetologist and founder of the Trust, move swiftly to de-worm, measure and weigh the snake. The next step is heart-stopping. Martin starts blowing gently into the mouth of the Russell's viper — the species responsible for the highest number of snakebite fatalities in India — through a straw-like instrument. This, he explains, is to flush out the anaesthetic. Soon enough, the snake starts to revive. The rescued viper is now part of a first-of-its-kind, research-based serpentarium near Hunsur, about 200 kilometres from Bengaluru, which aims to research and improve the way antivenom is made in India and study the behaviour of snakes, which Martin says can be 'a nightmare' in the wild. 'Snakes are difficult to work with. We can't study them using camera traps like with other species, for instance.' The serpentarium houses seven venomous species and is set to have up to 400 snakes, with each individual in a separate enclosure designed to replicate its natural habitat to the extent possible, with lush flora and small pools of water in some, and enclosures with basking lights for species like the Russell's viper, which likes the warmth of the sun in cooler weather. Set up by The Liana Trust with the Karnataka Forest Department, the serpentarium is one of several recent initiatives to mitigate the impact of human-snakebite conflict — responsible for the most number of human fatalities in human-wildlife conflict, yet long neglected. These include India's first National Action Plan on snakebites (launched a year ago), developing better alternatives to antivenom, multiple serpentariums, including one that will incubate startups working on antivenom, and apps for snake rescue. All these and more are aimed at mitigating a public health issue which, till recently, did not get the attention it deserved. And which climate change is only set to exacerbate. A 2024 paper in The Lancet Planetary Health on how climate change will impact the distribution of venomous snakes predicts that while some areas such as the Amazon would see species loss, others like India with extensive agricultural area would see an increase in areas climatically suitable for snakes. Combined with India's large share of low-income and rural population, this would increase vulnerability to snake bite in a country that is already considered the snakebite capital of the world. KNOW YOUR VIPER India has more than 310 species of snakes. Of these, 66 are labelled venomous or mildly venomous. The 'Big Four' were considered responsible for most venomous bites in the country, but newer studies show other species also contribute to the snakebite burden, particularly in the Northeast. Poor man's problem Tackling snakebite envenoming — the technical term for the condition caused by the toxins in the bite of a venomous snake — poses a complex public health challenge which requires a sustained, multi-disciplinary endeavour. In India, efforts to tackle snakebite are further complicated by the lack of data around it. Many victims die before reaching a hospital so no agency could capture the true burden, says Ravikar Ralph, professor, Clinical Toxicology Unit, at Vellore's Christian Medical College. Even when the deaths occur in hospitals, they would not necessarily be recorded with government authorities since snakebite was not a notifiable disease until recently. Underpinning the invisibilising of the issue is the fact that victims typically live in rural areas and belong to low-income sections. 'We have six deaths every hour. But snakebite is a poor person's problem so it gets little attention,' says Sumanth Bindumadhav, director of wildlife protection at the non-profit, Humane Society International India. Additionally, the WHO estimates that while 81,410 to 1,37,880 people die each year because of snake bites globally, it also causes around three times as many amputations and other disabilities. Survivors also have to struggle with the financial impact, from the cost of treatment of conditions such as kidney damage and amputation caused by snakebite, to loss of income, which can be debilitating for low-income families. 'We need to acknowledge that humans and snakes will always share space. There will be co-existence, so it's very important to figure out how.'Sumanth BindumadhavDirector, Humane Society International India Ramesh M. (name changed on request), a native of Hunsur, is one such survivor. When the 33-year-old stepped out of his house late one evening to move a big drum of water barefoot, a snake nestled underneath darted out and bit him. Poor first-aid, delays in treatment, and an infected wound meant he could not return to his factory job in Bengaluru for three months. When he recovered, the company would not take him back. He now works in a hardware store back home and as a farm labourer. 'From a salary of ₹35,000, his monthly earnings have now dipped to about ₹12,000. He has to support his family of four with it and also repay the loans he took for the snakebite treatment,' says Bindumadhav. Gap in data The scale of India's burden came to light with the Million Death Study, first published in 2011. It estimated that India sees about 58,000 deaths a year, close to half the global toll. In contrast, the Central Bureau of Health Intelligence pegs snakebite deaths at 2,000 a year. This lack of accurate data is now starting to get plugged, with the country's first National Action Plan for Prevention and Control of Snakebite Envenoming in India (NAPSE), launched in March 2024, advising all states to make snakebite a notifiable disease. Karnataka had already done so in February 2024 while a few others like Tamil Nadu and Meghalaya began later in the year. 'It's one of the biggest impacts of the national action plan. This will answer a lot of our questions vis-a-vis deaths, bites, etc,' says Jaideep Menon of Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham in Kerala. Lethal strike Snakebite kills about 58,000 people a year in India, close to half the global total. Snakebite deaths are more common (48%) during the southwest monsoon (June-September) Russell's viper contributes to most deaths at 43%, followed by unknown species (21%), krait (18%), and cobra (12%). (Source: WHO; Indian Million Death Study; Trends in snakebite deaths in India, 2020) Dr. Menon began studying snakebite deaths in the early 2000s, and is separately leading an Indian Council of Medical Research survey on the incidence, mortality, morbidity and socio-economic burden of snakebites across 14 states, another first-of-its-kind effort which will improve understanding of the issue. Close to 70% of snakebite deaths occur in nine states, including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh, according to a 2020 study on trends in snakebite deaths in India. However, it's yet to be declared a notifiable disease in these high-burden states. In Madhya Pradesh, it is treated as a 'local tragedy', and compensation is disbursed for loss of life. The Uttar Pradesh government, in 2021, declared deaths due to snake bites as a state calamity following a significant number of fatalities recorded between 2016 and 2021. Families of victims are eligible for a compensation of ₹4 lakh, which must be provided within seven days of the death. Confluence of factors While snakebite envenoming is a global challenge, with the World Health Organization declaring it a neglected tropical disease in 2017, the number of deaths and cases of long-term disability are higher in India due to multiple factors. 'We have an extraordinary number of people coexisting closely with snakes, especially in rural and semi-rural areas,' says Gnaneswar Ch., project lead-snakebite mitigation at The Madras Crocodile Bank Trust & Centre For Herpetology in Tamil Nadu. 'Several parts of Africa have more venomous snakes than India. But the numbers [of envenoming] are not as high because of lower population density.' Secondly, medical treatment is often delayed, either due to lack of access to healthcare facilities in rural areas, poor availability of anti-venom or, as it often happens, because patients first approach traditional healers. Gnaneswar recalls a recent incident where a farmer from Kanchipuram who was bitten by a Russell's viper first went to a faith healer. 'The healer gave him something to put in his mouth, something to put in his eyes, then took him to the spot where he was bitten and conducted a ritual, all of which took an hour-and-a-half. When the victim lost consciousness, the healer said it was not his responsibility,' he says. The farmer was finally rushed to the hospital but by the time he reached, he was brain dead. Even when the patient manages to reach a healthcare facility in time, other complications can arise. Administering antivenom quickly is the universal life-saving treatment for snakebite envenoming. But because antivenom is made of antibodies generated in an animal, it can trigger adverse allergic reactions in humans, which can sometimes be severe, even life-threatening. 'The fear of developing an allergic reaction is heightened in a small hospital in the periphery,' says Dr. Ralph. Doctors then end up referring patients to larger facilities, which means precious time is lost. Many primary health centres (PHCs) also don't have qualified doctors, says Priyanka Kadam, founder of Mumbai-based not-for-profit Snakebite Healing and Education Society (SHE-India). When Dr. Sadanand and Dr. Pallavi Raut opened their clinic in Narayangaon in Maharashtra in the mid-90s after the former witnessed an eight-year-old girl lose her life to snakebite, these issues were rampant. 'Doctors at PHCs and medical centres in our area were initially reluctant to give antivenom because of the risk of anaphylaxis and death,' says Dr. Sadanand. But years of working with communities, building awareness and giving training has made a difference in the area, he says, underlining the importance of scaling these measures. 'Critical patients now come to us within 20 minutes and the survival rate is 100%.' Kadam says her organisation is training ASHAs (accredited social health activists) in places like Bastar in Chhattisgarh to spread the message that victims must immediately go to the hospital. One size doesn't fit all Antivenom everywhere is made using the same century-old method: by injecting tiny doses of venom into a large animal like a horse and then using the antibodies that are generated. Antivenom can be monovalent, targeting a single species, or polyvalent, for multiple species. In India, antivenom is made using the venom of four species considered responsible for most cases of envenoming. Termed the 'Big Four', these are the common krait, the Indian cobra, the Russell's viper and the saw-scaled viper. But this approach is now being questioned, particularly since there are regions where other venomous species dominate and where the current antivenom is less effective, as multiple studies have now shown. Venom also varies within species, depending on age and climatic conditions, recent research has shown. A study conducted among snakebite victims in Rajasthan published in January this year found poor antivenom response, because the venom of the saw-scaled viper in the region was more potent than its counterpart in Tamil Nadu, from where much of the country's venom is sourced. One solution is to have antivenoms for different regions instead of a single one for the whole country, an approach the national action plan now recommends. Different research groups are working on this, including the Evolutionary Venomics Lab at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bengaluru, which has been testing regional antivenoms for western India with an antivenom manufacturer. Results are set to be published soon. Another group in Tezpur University is working on an antivenom for the Northeast. Quality issues But Indian antivenom also suffers from quality issues. At present, the bulk of venom is collected by the Irulas, a marginalised tribal community in Tamil Nadu historically skilled at catching snakes. With the help of conservationist Romulus Whitaker, they formed the Irula Snake Catchers' Industrial Cooperative Society and are today licensed to catch snakes for venom. The Irulas keep the captive reptiles in pots in sand pits, milk them for venom to sell to manufacturers, and then release the snakes back into the wild. However, this process does not adhere to WHO protocols and good manufacturing practices, which impacts the venom quality, says Gnaneswar. Humane Society's Bindumadhav says there is a big policy gap in the fact that the antivenom used in India has never undergone clinical trials and there are no minimum quality standards. This is one of the issues The Liana Trust's new serpentarium aims to tackle, by taking venom from snakes housed in the facility in controlled, hygienic conditions to be supplied to antivenom manufacturers for free. 'This will set a precedent for region-specific antivenom centres. It will also help us understand the local venom landscape,' says Martin. Tamil Nadu, too, is considering setting up a modern serpentarium, though Gnaneswar says progress has been slow. The most ambitious of the new facilities will be the Venom Institute for Snakebite Health and Advanced Medicine (VISHAM) coming up in Bengaluru, funded by the Karnataka government and developed in collaboration with the Evolutionary Venomics Lab (EVL) at an initial cost of ₹7 crore. Kartik Sunagar, associate professor at IISc and head of EVL, says the serpentarium aims to be one of the best globally, housing species from across India, and producing high-quality venom. 'We will also have labs for collaborative research with manufacturers and an incubation centre that will house startups interested in working on antivenoms,' says Sunagar. Modernising treatment Critically, Sunagar and his team are also working on bringing snakebite treatment into the 21st century. Last year, scientists at EVL along with researchers at Scripps Institute in the U.S .and the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine published their discovery of a new recombinant antibody (produced using genetic engineering; it was tested and selected from a 'library' of millions of lab-made antibodies), which can neutralise a whole group of toxins across multiple species, holding out promise of a universal or at least pan-continental antivenom. While progress will take time, Sunagar's team is working on other synthetic antibodies specifically against Indian snakes. Since these antibodies are not generated in animals, it will also minimise adverse reactions. 'Regional antivenoms can at best be a stop-gap solution — we need modern solutions, which will be more effective,' says Sunagar. The other promising avenue is repurposing existing drugs such as varespladib and marimastat, found to be potent inhibitors of specific toxins in snake venom. Success would mean a drug that can be taken orally as opposed to antivenom given intravenously in a healthcare setting. This will at the very least buy victims time to reach a hospital. U.S.-based Ophirex is currently conducting trials in India and the U.S. Sunagar is separately set to publish results of trials of orally-administered drugs in Russell's viper bites, which successfully neutralised venom in mice. A diagnostic test to identify a Russell's viper bite, which would help in targeted treatment, is also in the works. Rescue app Others are using technology to mitigate the conflict between snakes and humans. For instance, the Sarpa (short for Snake Awareness Rescue and Protection App) app, which has enabled the rescue of 50,000 snakes in Kerala, connects the closest snake rescuer with those who need one, much like an Uber or Ola connects passengers to taxi drivers. Says founder Jose Louies, who is also CEO of Wildlife Trust of India, 'We can keep track of what species we've found in which season, in an area. We can also generate predictive data.' Other states have expressed interest in replicating this model, adds Louies, before cautioning that apps should not be seen as a magic bullet. 'It's the system and networks behind it that make it work.' The best mitigation, says conservationist Whitaker, is prevention. But that's difficult in India, where people work in fields barefoot and with bare hands, and step out at night without a flashlight. 'Education and awareness are key. The government would only have to spend a fraction of what it ends up paying as compensation,' he suggests. Being at the frontlines of human-snake conflict, Martin says the challenges often seem formidable. 'But the momentum is growing and the problem is getting acknowledged. Every step forward is heartening,' he says. We need to acknowledge that humans and snakes will always share space, adds Bindumadhav. 'There will be coexistence, so it's very important to figure out how.' The question gathers urgency if India is to meet the WHO target of halving snakebite mortality by 2030 and adapt to the impact of climate change. With inputs from Mehul Malpani (Madhya Pradesh) and Mayank Kumar (Uttar Pradesh). The Bengaluru-based independent journalist writes on gender, labour, ecology and business.
