Tuesday, June 28 2005 12:45 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Bhubaneswar: When venomous snakes strike or elephants trample people to death, can they be termed as natural calamities? The Orissa Government thinks so.

The State Government would request the Centre to put human casualties caused due to snake bite, lightning and sunstroke in the category of natural calamities, Revenue Minister Manmohan Samal told sources.

Depredation by elephants is yet to be considered as a natural calamity, though there is a provision for payment of compensation by the Environment and Forest Ministry, he said.

The Central Government approved list of natural calamities included cyclone, flood, earthquake, drought, hailstorm and fire.

The Orissa Government had amended Rules 141 and 254 of the Orissa Relief Code so that ex-gratia of Rs 50,000 could be paid to next of kin of people losing their lives in floods, cyclones, fire and other causes accepted as natural calamity.

"We will demand that deaths caused due to snake bites, depredation by elephants as also lightning be termed natural calamity," Samal said.