Bhubaneswar: Deaths caused due to snakebite accounted for the most fatalities in natural calamities in the state between 2016 and 2019, informed Revenue and Disaster Management minister Sudam Marandi.
Replying to the question by BJD legislator Angad Kanhar in the state assembly, the minister replied that as many as 2217 people have died in snakebite in Odisha between 2016 and 2019.
As per official statistics, 601 people died in 2016-17 while 817 people became victims of snakebite in 2017-18. Similarly, 756 people died in 2018-19 and the number of casualties till June 2019 stood at 43.
Several venomous snakes including King Cobra, monocled cobra and banded krait are found in large numbers in Odisha while a number of coastal districts such as Bhadrak, Balasore have witnessed several deaths due to snakebite.
The minister stated that as many as 6228 deaths took place of various calamities during this period. The number of deaths due to snake bite has surpassed casualties due to natural calamities such as cyclones, floods or lighting, fire mishap and boat tragedy.
“Adequate stock of anti-venom is available in all government hospitals across the state. The state government has declared snake bite as a state specific disaster (SSD) and made provision of compensation amounting Rs 4 lakh,” said a department official.
Marandi asserted that another major reason for deaths in the state is drowning, with a total of 2135 persons who have lost their lives during this period.
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Ms Kalinga