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

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.
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