Rats! It's time to call in pied piper

With the rat population in the city multiplying at an alarming rate, the risk of an outbreak of rat-borne diseases is at an all-time high. The situation is only worsened by the drastic reduction in the number of snakes in the city, as they are increasingly being caught and released into the wild.

With the snake population dwindling, there is a lapse in the ecological food-cycle as snakes are the primary predators of rodents. However, failing to realise this, residents sanitise their environment of snake habitats, thereby creating an ideal ecosystem for the proliferation of rats.

Take the example of Rajeev Nair, who constructed a house in Maruthinagar about a decade ago. Being one of the newly added areas within the BBMP limits, Maruthinagar used to have a substantial amount of flora and fauna, and a healthy snake population as well.

While Nair was clearing his plot for constructing his house, he got the snakes wiped out from the area. Back then, he didn’t encounter any rodents and never spared a thought about the possible repercussions of his doings. Today, with the absence of snakes in his locality, it has turned into a rampant rat-breeding ground, and he is forced to spend thousands of rupees to clear the choked sewer lines of his house.

Yes, it’s bad: BBMP

BBMP health officials admitted that the number of rats is increasing in the city, especially in the residential areas. Though they claimed that the situation is under control and there is no need to hit the panic button yet, as a precautionary measure, they cautioned people against rat bites and scratches that could result in many diseases.

A city-based snake-catcher, who is referred to as Sujan, told dna that the lack of rat snakes is one of the main reasons for the drastic increase in the rat population in the city.

Other predators such as vultures, eagles, crows and owls are also known for contributing
to controlling rodents.

“With Bangalore transforming into a concrete jungle, there is little space—if not any—for these predators to survive,” he said, adding that the ubiquitous piles of garbage are just adding to the rat problem.

Dr Parvez Ahmed Piran, joint director (health), BBMP, attributed the entry of rain water into drains and manholes as the main reason for the rodents to wander on the roads. He said
Bangaloreans need not worry about the possibilities of facing a plague as in Surat. He said the government has taken a slew of initiatives to combat such a situation.