Plea in SC for financial assistance to those who died of Covid-19

A plea has been moved in the Supreme Court for a direction to the authorities to provide ex gratia monetary compensation of Rs 4 lakh to family members of those who succumbed to Covid-19.

Petitioner-advocate Reepak Kansas pointed out that the central government issued a revised list and norms of assistance from State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) and recommended ex gratia compensation of Rs 4 lakhs per deceased person to those involved in the relief operation.

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After the Union government declared Covid-19 as a national disaster by a notification on March 14, 2020, it is all the more necessary for the national authority under Section 12 of the Disaster Management Act, to recommend the minimum standards of relief to affected persons, his plea stated.

The petitioner also sought directions to the states to issue death certificates or any letter to the families of the deceased affected by the pandemic.

He contended the financial assistance was a constitutional obligation on the state as the right to live with dignity of the victim and their family members, were violated due to death of the bread earner.