Fang Under ‘Red Tape’: A Barrier for Underutilisation of Human Resource (Case of Snake Charmers, India)

Abstract

The vulnerability of human death due to snakebite could (possibly) be countered in the most feasible way of utilising snakes themselves if properly organised. This article attempts to identify an indigenous community (snake charmer) with its inherent expertise for answering a large-scale health issue of snakebite. Existing bureaucratic directives often do barricade such human resources from their proper utilisation through stringent laws and regulations. In the case of a tropical developing country like India, snake charmers may be the capital of captivating the ladder of betterment when governments treat them as assets. Examining snakebite fatality over the globe and gradually zooming into a state level (West Bengal) prone to health hazards, the article sounds true to its venture of showcasing a policy orientation for minimising human deaths and disadvantages. In place of a barrier, ’red tape’ might be acting as a bridge of development between wildlife and humanity.