Tarun Karthick
Campbell Bay, 04 November 2023
The District Administration of North & Middle Andaman has taken a significant step to provide much-needed relief to the families of those who succumbed to COVID-19. In accordance with the guidelines issued by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Government of India, and the Hon’ble Supreme Court’s judgment in W.P. (C) No. 539 & 554 of 2021, the District Administration has released Ex-Gratia Assistance to the kin of the deceased, with a recommended amount of Rs. 50,000 per deceased person.
This initiative comes after the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India, in its Order dated 24th March 2022, directed that claimants must file for compensation within a specific time frame. For deaths caused by COVID-19 before 20th March 2022, the outer limit to file claims was set at sixty days from 18th April 2022. In cases of further deaths, a ninety-day window was provided from the date of the deceased’s passing. The Court also clarified that individuals facing extreme hardships, unable to meet these deadlines, can approach the Grievance Redressal Committee.
In response to this directive, the District Office (N&MA) received 15 applications that exceeded the ninety-day time limit. To address these cases, the District Grievance Redressal Committee of North & Middle Andaman convened on 12th April 2023. The Committee decided to request explanations from the claimants for the delayed submission of their Ex-Gratia applications. These explanations were then presented to the Committee for further consideration.
Following a careful review by the District Grievance Redressal Committee, the District Administration, North & Middle Andaman, has sanctioned a total Ex-Gratia Assistance amounting to Rs. 7,50,000 to the kin of all 15 deceased individuals who lost their lives due to COVID-19. The Letters of Credit were handed over to the applicants in a simple function held at the Office of the Assistant Commissioner, Rangat, on 25th October 2023, and in Diglipur on 26th October 2023.
This compassionate action by the District Administration aims to alleviate the financial burden on the families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, providing much-needed support during these challenging times.