Kerala HC Directs State to Implement Comprehensive Guidelines for Snakebite Prevention in Schools, Mandates Declaring Snakebite a 'Notifiable Disease'

Kerala High Court Mandates Comprehensive Guidelines for Snakebite Prevention in Schools

Ernakulam: In a significant ruling aimed at safeguarding children, the Kerala High Court has directed the State Government to issue and implement a comprehensive set of guidelines to prevent and manage snakebites in schools across the state. The division bench, comprising Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Shoba Annamma Eapen , also mandated that the government declare snakebite a "notifiable disease" within two months to ensure accurate data collection and effective policy intervention.

The judgment comes in response to two writ petitions, including a suo motu case initiated by the court following the tragic death of a 10-year-old student from a snakebite inside her classroom in Wayanad in November 2019. The court found that the existing measures were inadequate and lacked inter-departmental coordination.

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Background of the Case

The court's intervention was triggered by the death of a fifth-standard student at a government school in Sulthan Bathery, Wayanad, on November 20, 2019, who succumbed to a snakebite sustained in her classroom. This incident sparked public outrage and highlighted critical deficiencies in school infrastructure and the lack of emergency medical care for snakebite victims.

The High Court took up the matter suo motu, alongside a petition filed by Kulathoor Jaisingh, which pointed out the absence of necessary medical facilities, including anti-venom and paediatric ventilators, in many government hospitals.

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Court's Observations and State's Response

During the proceedings, the High Court observed that initial circulars issued by the General Education Department were deficient, as they placed the entire responsibility for safety and medical care on school authorities without ensuring corresponding support from the Health, Forest, and Local Self Government departments.

Finding the government's response inadequate, the court issued mandatory directions to the Chief Secretary to convene a high-level meeting. The judgment noted:

"since no comprehensive circular or policy was forthcoming from the State Government on its own, we were constrained to issue mandatory directions to the Chief Secretary to convene a meeting of senior officers from the Local Self Government Department, Health Department, Forest Department, and Education Department of the State, and to prepare comprehensive guidelines..."

Following the court's directive, a meeting was held on September 1, 2025, which resulted in the formulation of detailed, multi-departmental guidelines. These guidelines now form the core of the court's directions.

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Key Features of the New Guidelines

The comprehensive guidelines, which the state must now issue as a formal circular, establish a multi-pronged strategy involving various government bodies:

• School Safety Audits: Mandatory regular audits of school infrastructure, including clearing overgrown vegetation, sealing potential snake entry points, and repairing buildings.
• Emergency Preparedness: Each school must have a "Child Emergency Medical Response Plan," equipped first-aid kits, and staff trained in emergency care. Contact details for hospitals with anti-venom stocks must be prominently displayed.
• Inter-Departmental Responsibility: The guidelines clearly define the roles of the Health Department (ensuring anti-venom availability), Forest Department (providing certified snake handlers through the SARPA app), and Local Self Government Department (issuing school fitness certificates based on a multi-departmental checklist).
• Awareness and Training: Regular mock drills and awareness programs on snakebite prevention for students and staff are to be conducted.

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Final Directions and Implications

Disposing of the petitions, the High Court issued a set of binding directions to the State Government, including:

1. Issue the Guidelines: Formally notify the new safety guidelines as a circular within two weeks.
2. Declare Notifiable Disease: Take necessary steps to declare snakebite a "notifiable disease" under the Kerala Public Health Act, 2023, within two months. This will mandate reporting from all public and private health facilities.
3. Establish Monitoring Committee: A Joint Committee, chaired by the Chief Secretary, will be responsible for monitoring the implementation and periodically updating the guidelines.
4. Appoint Nodal Officers: Designate state and district-level Nodal Officers to oversee data collection and implementation.
5. Expedite Anti-Venom Research: Fast-track efforts to develop anti-venom for species like the Hump-nosed Pit Viper, for which no specific anti-venom is currently available.

The court's ruling marks a pivotal step towards creating a robust, coordinated framework to protect students from the life-threatening risk of snakebites, moving from ad-hoc measures to a structured, accountable system of safety and care.