The down pour at various parts of the state during the last few days brought respite to many, but for the natives of Sivagiri, between Kalamassery and Aluva, the intrusion of battalions of African snails has thrown the life in the region out of gear.
Large number of African snails that have moved into the gardens and houses are wreaking havoc by destroying plants and vegetables in a large scale. Even the big trees are not spared.
The snails have rendered more damages to coconut trees, jackfruit trees, papayas and plantains, causing serious worry to the daily livelihood of most of the people here.
“The spread of snails in large numbers is causing health problems among the people,” pointed out Edathala panchayat president M A M Muneer and members M G Krishnankutty and Anil Kumar.
A 25 acre rubber estate of Kristhuvikas, a Christian convent in the locality, has been fully encroached by the snails.
“The snails are draining out milk from the rubber trees and the output has reduced heavily owing to this,” said a worker at the convent estate.
“We cannot open the doors or windows for fear of snails entering the houses. As nobody likes to take them by hand, we put salt on them to kill them. But the smell emitted when they are dead is horrible,” complained a few in the locality.
