Rajkot: The State Forest Department has assured that certificates incurred for registered snakes will be sufficient to claim insurance in the event of an accident during malicious operations.
The department has issued guidelines on March 30 forbid people from saving snakes without proper training and formal recognition.
All rescuers, who work voluntarily, have to do their work on the command of the Ministry of Forestry.
Some provisions in the policy have created hatred and confusion among 2,000-strange savings working throughout Gujarat.
One of them is the compulsory RS 10 Lakh insurance that will be taken by savior, which argues that insurance companies will be reluctant to cover them considering high-risk work and do not pass their claims if there is death.
“Certificates issued for rescuers by the Department will help them in processing claims.
There are several insurance companies covering the risk of Rs 10 lakh in the case of death with snake bites while saving RS 500 premiums to rs 1,000 per year,” said Srivastava SK, the principal of the school (APCCF).
However, officials who categorically stated that those who were unable to buy ‘a little’ premium should not be involved in the work of snake rescue.
This policy also has it that the savior will not be allowed to charge more than Rs 250 for rescue work.
“They should not enjoy dangerous activities,” Srivastava said, added that all the snakes were included in the wildlife protection law and arresting it without authorization even with good intentions was a violation.
The Ministry of Forestry does not want rescuers to work independently as they have done until now.
However, several NGOs and volunteers involved in this activity request to be allowed to work alone.
This NGO argues that route complaints through the Ministry of Forestry takes important time.
However, the department was firm in his attitude to see legal issues involved with work.
“We are becoming a protector of wildlife.
‘Certificate to help insurance claims’
