Odisha Mountaineers Are Not Safe, Says Dead Climber’s Father

Bhawanipatna: Here is a warning for mountaineers and aspiring mountaineers of Odisha. Jogabyas Bhoi, a mountaineer of Kalahandi, has alleged that mountaineers are not safe in Odisha as insurance companies give a compensation only in case of an accidental death case not due to sickness while trekking.

Jogabyas alleged that two years after the death of a young mountaineer, his family has yet to get the insurance compensation.

In 2017, Lalu Prasad Bhoi, a 17 year-old young mountaineer from Kalahandi’s Dhanramal village, along with a 15-member team began an expedition of 15,000 feet altitude peak of Byasakunda in the Himalayan region near Manali in Himachal Pradesh.

The expedition had been organised by Biju Pattnaik Himalayan Abhijaan and flagged off by Chief Minister Naveen Pattnaik. All the members were insured by a company.  While returning on October 21, 2017, at a little distance away from the camp, Lalu collapsed. He was rushed to a nearby hospital in Manali by a rescue team where doctors declared him brought dead.

Getting no help from the state government and the insurance company, Lalu’s father, Baldeb Bhoi raised many questions such as whether his son was really insured and whether a health check up was done before the trek. Lalu has two other siblings and they are a BPL family.  

His father asked whether his son had really got the Odisha government’s nod. And if he did have the permission for trekking, why was the government reluctant for compensation.  

He said that all he got after Lalu’s death was Rs 20,000 from the Red Cross. Several requests to the sports department of Kalahandi and Odisha and to the Chief Minister, have not yielded any response.“I want to know whether my son was really insured and whether his health check up was done by the authorities before trekking,” Baldev asked.  

Lalu’s mentor and team leader, Jogabyas Bhoi said that he had contacted the insurance company officials who said that compensation is given in case of accidental death only. 

“The doctors in Manali Civil Hospital told us that Lalu died of lungs-related problem and his body was brought by an ambulance upto Delhi and then airlifted to Raipur. Two days after the body reached his village, all the district officials were present. They assured the family that compensation would be given,” said Jogabyas Bhoi, adding that if the attitude of the government remains the same, the youths would be discouraged from taking up mountaineering. 

Lalu’s mother, Mamata Bhoi said her son always wanted to be a top mountaineer and the family never discouraged him.

“I am not literate but always made sure that my son pursued his higher studies. But he was always interested in mountaineering. Finally we lost our son who left some sweet memories with us,” said Mamata, adding that Lalu was doing BA from Kesinga College.

District Sports Officer, Kalahandi, Sibashish Nayak said the district administration has been asked to submit an inquiry report into the incident. “The report will be submitted to the state government after 15 days,” the officer said.