The Silent Threat: Snakebite Tragedies in Odisha

Odisha recorded 1,859 snakebite deaths over 2023-25, prompting the government to distribute compensation to victims' families. Cuttack district reported the highest fatalities, while Gajapati recorded the fewest. A total of 1,457 compensation claims were processed, with some still pending due to investigative delays.

The state of Odisha has reported a concerning rise in snakebite deaths, with a staggering 1,859 cases recorded over the periods of 2023-24 and 2024-25. According to state Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari, 1,150 fatalities were recorded in the first period and 709 in the latter.

Government procedures mandate that compensation is distributed from the State Disaster Response Fund following local investigations and post-mortem verification. Minister Pujari assured the Assembly of ongoing efforts to deliver compensation promptly, with 1,022 payouts completed for 2023-24 and 435 for 2024-25, though numerous cases remain under scrutiny.

Cuttack district reported the highest number of deaths, with Gajapati seeing the least. Pujari highlighted delays in obtaining essential documents as a factor in pending compensation cases, with state mechanisms working to transfer funds directly to beneficiaries' bank accounts.