Monsoon brings higher snakebite risk as India explores safer ways to keep snakes away

Monsoon is when the city see most man-snake conflict. Pic/ISTOCK

Every year, snakebites claim nearly 58,000 lives in India, accounting for almost half of the world's snakebite fatalities. The threat becomes particularly acute during the monsoon, when flooding forces snakes out of their natural habitats and into proximity to homes, agricultural land, warehouses, military establishments, and large infrastructure zones.

While the focus on snakebites has traditionally remained on treating victims after an incident, institutions across India are increasingly turning their attention to a more critical question: how can dangerous human-snake encounters in itself be prevented?

Varun Mukhi

The growing emphasis on preventive snake safety has prompted organisations in the defence sector and Nagpur Metro to adopt proactive solutions aimed at reducing snake intrusion in high-risk operational areas, while ensuring that both human safety and ecological balance are maintained.

A snake repellent that works?

We are seeing people coming up with unique solutions where the animal is not hurt but at the same time we can protect ourselves. One such solution gaining traction is Zyax Snake Maxx, a non-toxic snake repellent developed by entrepreneur and nanotechnology innovator Varun Mukhi under Zyax Chem Pvt Ltd. The product is designed to create safe boundaries between snakes and human spaces without harming the reptiles.

The solution is now being used not only by defence and infrastructure institutions, but also by other organisations including multiple real estate developers, contractors, warehouses, villa communities and industrial facilities across India.

Varun Mukhi created Snake Maxx and built it around a simple idea: that the most effective way to keep snakes away is to work with their biology rather than against it. "Snakes use a specialised receptor called the Jacobson's organ to taste the air around them, and our special formulation, which includes cinnamon, clove and cedar oils blended with other materials, releases a scent they find deeply unpleasant. It triggers avoidance behaviour without causing them any harm," said Mukhi

It reduces disruptions

Nitesh Janbandhu, Nagpur Metro Spokesperson
‘At Nagpur Metro, operational safety and commuter infrastructure maintenance remain a constant priority. Given the environmental conditions and open infrastructure zones we manage, preventive solutions that help reduce snake intrusion without disrupting ecological balance are extremely valuable. Solutions like Snake Maxx allow us to take proactive measures while ensuring safety for both people and the surrounding ecosystem.'