Firms move into Uttarakhand to provide critical support

“LIC will be opening a special office in that area to attend to all the claimants and relax the usual requirements for claim settlement,” said Thomas Mathew,acting chairman LIC after a meeting with finance minister P Chidambaram on Tuesday.

The finance minister has also asked LIC to settle all claims from the flooded state on a priority basis and also relax norms for life insurance claims.

“LIC should follow the same norms for settlement of claims as being followed by it during tsunami or earthquake in Bhuj and Latur in the past,” an official release said. In cases of claims of missing people,Chidambaram said LIC should take an indemnity bond from claimants and not insist on the normal condition of waiting for a period of seven years before issuing a death certificate.

An IndianOil release noted the company has made arrangements to ensure uninterrupted supply of petroleum products in the affected areas and especially for the relief teams of the army and para military forces.

Telecom companies like Aircel claimed they have set up free mobile booths at several locations in the state for the survivors to call homes.