Odisha declares 8 local disasters as State-specific

Bhubaneswar, June 2: The Odisha Government on Tuesday included
eight disasters i.e. lightning, heat wave, whirlwind, tornado, heavy rain, boat
accident (other than during flood), drowning (other than during flood) and
snakebite (other than during flood) as state specific disasters.

People affected by these local disasters with the exception
of heat wave would now get same relief assistance as prescribed for 12 other
disasters approved by the Union Government under the State Disaster Response
Fund and National Disaster Response Fund, stated a press release of the Special
Relief Commissioner.

Such relief assistance includes ex-gratia to the next of kin
in case of death, assistance in case of permanent incapacitation or injury,
food assistance, assistance for clothing and utensils, assistance for
replacement of milch and draught animals lost, house building assistance, etc.,
as applicable. The scale of ex-gratia assistance for death due to sunstroke
will however be Rs 50,000 per deceased person.

It may be noted that as many as 1,630 people have died due
to lightning in Odisha during last five years (2010-15). Similarly, 265 persons
have died due to sunstroke and 96 due to boat accident during the same period.