Social activists have now demanded a separate desk for ex gratia assistance claim application at the Aap K Adhikar Aap ki Sarkar Aap k Dwar programme.
A large number of people are still not aware of the ex gratia relief coming for the Covid death. The State Government has recently announced an ex gratia amount of Rs 50,000 for family members of Covid victim.
Kishore Kumar Pandey, a lawyer turned civil society activist said there are middlemen active in every block and circle office who exploit people in the name of the ex-gratia relief. Pandey said when middle men extract illegal gratification from the old age pension, widow pension etc the Rs 50,000 ex gratia assistance for death by Covid is a far bigger temptation amount.
Pandey said it is all very simple to apply for the claim for ex-gratia assistance and people should be wise enough not to fall in the trap of the middlemen.Sources said format of it will be put on sale now which is as simple as to be hand written one. The National Disaster Management Authority has mandated that claim for ex gratia relief is to be settled either for favour or for rejection in 30 days from the date of the filing of the application for the ex gratia relief. In the event of rejection a written statement is to be made available to the claimant said the guidelines issued by the National Disaster Management Authority.
A Covid positive tested person if died outside the hospital or in patient facility centre either 25 days from testing positive or 30 days or beyond 30 days from the testing day, the deceased's family can claim for ex gratia relief as the death will be termed as death by Covid. Amitabh Kaushal secretary state disaster management authority Ranchi said it is essential that district administration should publicise this ex gratia relief so as no one remains ignorant or unaware of it.Palamu had 110 covid deaths while Garhwa 94 and Latehar 57.
Sources said more than one and half of this 110 figure of covid death is said to have occurred in the remote of Palamu where the families kept the death and disposal of the dead body all wrapped in secrecy. Pandey said registers at the Muslim grave yards, Christian grave yards and burning ghats of the Hindus be checked for the period of first wave and second wave of the Covid. The Pioneer has been told that bodies were burnt sheepishly at night to avoid public reaction or resistance when the covid was at its worst in April May this year. Makeshift burning ghats were raised for the disposal of the covid dead body in Palamu.
Such families which lost their near and dear ones outside the hospital or in patient facility centre now have a right to claim for exgratia assistance. Claim can be filed in the office of the CO, SDO or DC. Offline and online or both can be tapped for it.