Anadi Tewari
A Public Interest Litigation has been moved before the Delhi High Court seeking directions of the Court to Central and State Governments to grant appropriate compensation to the families of COVID-19 patients, who died due to lack of supply of oxygen.
The plea moved by one Advocate Purav Midha sought directions of the Court to provide compensation to families who are not able to meet their basic needs after having lost the soul earning member of their family.
The plea has further sought direction to the respondents to formulate appropriate guidelines, on compassionate grounds to provide adequate ex-gratia monetary compensation to the families who have lost their lone earning member due to COVID-19 and also to the people who are adversely affected during this pandemic.
The petitioner has sought the formation of a committee under the guidance of a Retd. High Court Judge to collect appropriate data for allocation of compensation as decided by the court.
The petitioner has stated that the people who have died due to this lack of supply of oxygen or medicines majorly belong to service class families or daily earners, where only one person earns and the rest of the members of the family depends upon him/her for their well being.
“The said citizens are also the taxpayers of our country. In such a structure, whereby the death rate is only increasing at an alarming rate per day, it is imperative for the State to formulate appropriate guidelines, on compassionate grounds, for ex-gratia compensation to the families of the COVID-19 casualties, solely with the purpose of aiding the families for their basic survival and sustenance during this pandemic,” the plea has stated.
Though there are schemes that have been formulated by the Government of Delhi for the weaker sections of the society as far as the current pandemic situation is concerned, it is need of the hour to formulate a National Relief Plan under Section 11 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005 through which funds from National Disaster Response Funds can be utilized in such allocation of financial assistance by way of compassionate compensation to the suffering ones, the petition further added.
The matter is listed to be heard on May 17.
With Inputs from ANI