Bodhi tree guards wary of snakes and scorpions

Five home guards in charge of security fear for their lives from the large number of snakes and scorpions seen running and crawling on the rocky hillock where the Bodhi tree sapling is planted. Neeraj Santoshi reports.

Updated on: Jul 16, 2013, 23:34:35 IST

Hindustan Times | By Neeraj Santoshi, Sanchi

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If the Bodhi tree sapling at Sanchi is attacked, the offenders are more likely to be repelled by snakes and scorpions than the guards. Five home guards in charge of security fear for their lives from the large number of snakes and scorpions seen running and crawling on the rocky hillock where the sapling is planted.

The guard's tent is pitched on bushy and rocky soil where one can expect snakes and scorpions, HT found. "I have spotted nearly 50 snakes in the past three months and hundreds of scorpions.

I have killed dozens of snakes but the fear of a snake bite lurks. Three home guards have been bitten by scorpions till date," said Noubat Singh, a home guard.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Neeraj Santoshi
Neeraj Santoshi is the Chief of Bureau for Hindustan Times in Uttarakhand, where he leads the state reporting team while covering government, politics, environment, wildlife, Uttarakhand High Court, and issues shaping the Himalayan region. With more than two decades in journalism across conflict zones, he has covered politically sensitive regions and environmentally fragile landscapes, and focused on stories that combine public interest with in-depth storytelling. An alumnus of Pune University with a Master’s in Communication Studies, he has reported extensively from Jammu & Kashmir (2003-2010), Madhya Pradesh (2010 to 2018 ) and Uttarakhand (Since 2018), covering subjects ranging from insurgency, elections and governance to wildlife conservation, mining, climate change, agriculture, human rights and social justice. He has covered politics and legislative assemblies of both Jammu & Kashmir and Madhya Pradesh over more than a decade. Before taking over as Chief of Bureau in Uttarakhand, he served as Special Correspondent with Hindustan Times in Madhya Pradesh and earlier reported for both Hindustan Times and The Indian Express in Jammu & Kashmir, where he covered state politics, environment and insurgency-related developments. Over the years, his stories have focused on environmental degradation, wildlife, illegal mining, governance and the changing social fabric of Himalayan states and Central India. He is particularly interested in long-form explanatory journalism, and stories that explore the intersection of ecology, conservation, governance and society. Outside the newsroom, Neeraj enjoys reading widely on neuroscience, consciousness studies, Artificial Intelligence and quantum physics, with a special interest in Kashmiri Tantric Shaivist traditions. He is also passionate about wildlife, mountaineering and the Himalayas, interests that continue to inform his reporting and deepen his understanding of the region he covers.Read More

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