Goemkarponn Desk
DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to form guidelines for payment of ex gratia compensation to family members of persons who succumbed to Covid-19.
The guidelines have to be put in place within 6 months, the Court said.
“We direct NDMA to form guidelines for ex gratia compensation for family members of persons who succumbed to covid as per minimum standards of relief. The reasonable amount to be provided is left to wisdom of national authority,” the judgment stated.
Pertinently, the top court held that that the mandate under Section 12 of the Disaster Management Act to lay down guidelines for minimum standards of relief including payment of ex gratia assistance, is mandatory and not discretionary.
In failing to do so, the National Authority has failed to perform its job under section 12 of the act, the Court ruled.
“There is nothing on record to show the guidelines for the minimum standard of relief, since section 12 is mandatory national authority has to prescribe guidelines which includes ex gratia. By not prescribing guidelines national authority has failed to perform its job under Section 12 of the Act,” the judgment said.
The Court also said that death certificates issued should have the date and cause of death (as COVID).
There will be also facility for correcting the cause of death if family is not satisfied, the Court added.
