Jharkhand to roll out action plan to prevent disaster losses

The Jharkhand government is set to implement a comprehensive action plan aimed at curbing disaster-related casualties, with a focus on lightning strikes, drowning, snakebites, and road accidents, according to an official on Thursday. The state's Disaster Management Department has developed an integrated Jharkhand Disaster Relief Management portal, piloted initially in Dhanbad and Bokaro districts, with plans to launch a statewide portal upon successful completion of the pilot.

This integrated portal will provide vulnerable spots, precautions, and awareness to mitigate losses from these disasters. In 2023 alone, 431 lives were lost in Jharkhand due to various disasters, with 180 fatalities resulting from lightning strikes, 161 from drowning, and 80 from snakebites. The state has identified over 9,438 snakebite cases from 2022 to April 2026.

To combat drowning incidents, the department has pinpointed vulnerable areas in water bodies and is incorporating these locations into the portal. Specialized training in deep diving has been provided to 48 individuals, two from each district, for rescue operations, and additional training will be given to first and second responders.

Around 500 people, including locals, homeguards, and police personnel, will undergo training and be stationed at vulnerable sites during the rainy season to prevent drowning cases. Awareness programs have been conducted in 900 private and government schools to educate the public on disaster prevention. The portal will also highlight accident-prone points and black spots to prevent road accidents.

A compensation claim can be made through the portal, streamlining the process for those affected. Shashi Prakash Jha, the mission director of the National Health Mission in Jharkhand, emphasized that all civil surgeons are required to adhere to the national snakebite management protocol and contribute to the disaster management department's efforts to reduce snakebite-related losses and drowning incidents.

The National Action Plan aims to cut snakebite-related deaths and disabilities by 50% by 2030. Experts note that while over 250 snake species exist in Jharkhand, only 25% are venomous; most deaths occur due to extreme fear and panic, leading to cardiac arrest.