KOCHI: The infestation of giant African snails is now a matter of concern for Vypeen block panchayat. The problem seems particularly worse in the coastal areas of Nayaramabalam and Njarakkal. With the onset of monsoon, the snails can be spotted in large numbers. According to residents, it is common to see the snails getting crushed on the road by vehicles these days.
“Vypeen has been seeing an increase in their number for the past two years. Their proliferation is a threat to the crops such as spinach, cabbage and cauliflower and plants with soft stems particularly. Those who grow these vegetables in grow bags are getting badly affected,” says Harijith Chandran R S, agriculture assistant at Krishi Bhavan, Nayarambalam.
Pouring salt, saline solution or spraying a a mixture of copper sulphate and tobacco dicot are the few remedies used by residents. “The copper sulphate solution can not only kill the snail but it can destroy its eggs as well. The panchayat undertook a cleaning drive last year under the MGNREGS and by Haritha Karma Sena,” adds Harijith.
However, the residents are tired of trying the same old remedies and not seeing any major change. “The snails are spreading fast and, over time, these remedial options will not be enough. Neither the panchayat nor Krishi Bhavan has come forward to address the issue this year. They could at least supply salt to each house and provide funds to undertake cleaning drives,” says Ward 10 member
A D Mani of Nayarambalam.
Other than destroying crops, the African snails have also triggered public health concern. T V Sajeev, senior principal scientist with the Kerala Forest Research Institute, says, “The snails have nematode parasites which can cause cerebral meningitis. Wearing gloves is a must while handling them,” he says.
Other than spraying saline and chemical solutions, Sajeev also suggests setting a trap to kill a huge number of snails in one go. “On a wet jute sack, place papaya leaves and, in two hours, the snails near the premises would come to feed on it. Then, spraying a solution or sprinkling salt could kill them. This was the method suggested when African snails were found in around 224 places in Kerala before the 2018 flood. However, people should make sure to set the trap simultaneously and not at different intervals,” says Sajeev.
“Being hermaphrodites, African snails reproduce rapidly. Measures have to be taken during the rainy season itself. Once the monsoon period ends, they’ll go underground, but they’ll come back in large numbers with the rain. This is the time to act,” says Sajeev. According to him, the timber imports during 2015 to Willingdon Island from Myanmar must have brought African snails to Kochi.