77 people who went missing in Sikkim flash flood presumed dead: Chief Secy

GANGTOK, Dec 2: The 77 people who went missing in the flash flood in Sikkim have been presumed
dead as they could not be found even after two months of the disaster, chief secretary VB Pathak said
on Saturday.
To help their families get various kinds of benefits, including ex-gratia, it has been decided to follow the
procedure adopted during natural disasters in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, and settle the
matter, he told reporters.
A total of 77 people went missing in the flash flood that struck the state on October 4. Two bodies were
later found, but their identities could not be ascertained, he said.
The state government is providing ex-gratia assistance of Rs 4 lakh, while Rs 2 lakh is being provided
from the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund.
“We have decided to adopt the procedures followed in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh to settle the
matter of missing persons,” Pathak said.
The families will be able to avail of the benefits only after the issuance of the death certificates, he said.
“We expect to settle all missing persons’ cases by January,” he added.
The families will first need to file a missing complaint at the police station, and then it will be thoroughly
examined at different levels before being published in newspapers, social media and government
gazette as per process, Pathak said.
In case, a person from outside Sikkim went missing, the family has to lodge a complaint with the police
in their state, which will then be transferred here for examination, he said.
The flash flood in the Teesta river basin wreaked havoc in the state on October 4, killing at least 46
people, besides the 77 missing persons. (PTI)