Snake bite to boat mishap, UP expands disaster relief list

LUCKNOW/ALLAHABAD/LAKHIMPUR KHERI: Cases of injury or death in man-animal conflicts, snake bites, boat mishaps, deaths due to choking while cleaning sewers or due to gas leakage would now be eligible for financial assistance in Uttar Pradesh.

This has happened due to Yogi Adityanath government expanding the eligibility for compensation and financial assistance through the State Disaster Relief Fund.

“The victims of these tragedies would now be getting Rs 4 lakh in case of death,” state relief commissioner Sanjay Kumar said.

Mrityunjay Kumar, advisor to the chief minister, said, “The CM was very disturbed with cases of snake bites and deaths during house collapses in monsoon. The decision is aimed at helping the needy. Now, not just for snake bites, a policy would

be in place for assistance under various heads.”

The government has already issued a notification.

Only recently there were three deaths due to gas leakage in Unnao and snake bite deaths too are being reported this monsoon.

Till now those who lost their life or property or got injured as a result of heavy rain, lightning, storm, flood, earthquake, heat waves and other natural disaster were covered under the State Disaster Relief Fund.

“The norms for providing compensation to victims in these newly-included tragedies will be the same as applicable to other notified natural disasters. The scale of relief assistance will not exceed the norms of State Disaster Relief Fund,” Kumar said.

Ramesh Pandey, chief conservator of forest (CCF) said, “UP has now become a state where equal importance had been given to human and animal lives.”

He added: “After the recent government decision, man-animal conflicts would be treated as state disaster and entire government machinery would be involved to tackle it.”

Dr SAM Meesum, senior medical officer who trains health workers in handling snake bite cases at community health centres, said, “In rural areas we get many snake-bite cases, and we manage to save life of maximum patients.”

“Nearly 5-10 snake-bite cases are reported from each of the 20 community health centres every month during monsoon,” he added.