COVID-19: On fixing ex-gratia, NDMA failed in its duty says SC

New Delhi, June 30: The Supreme Court has said that the National Disaster Management Authority failed in its duty to fix ex-gratia for families of those who lost loved ones due to COVID-19.

The NDMA has has failed in discharging its duty, the Bench said while adding that the authority is statutorily mandated to provide minimum standards of relief, including ex-gratia to COVID-19 victims.

While leaving it to the NDMA to fix the compensation amount, the court ordered it to fix the ex-gratia assistance in six weeks time for families who lost their loved ones due to COVID-19.

On insurance and security for COVI-19 affected, the court directed the Union of India to take appropriate steps under the 15th Finance Commission. Further the court also held that the death certificates of COVID-19 patients should show the exact cause of the death.

On the issue of fixing a specific amount, the Bench comprising Justices Ashok Bhushan and M R Shah said that it is a matter of finance and hence should be left to then executive.

With India reporting nearly 3.9 lakh deaths due to COVID-19, the pandemic has been declared a disaster under the Disaster Management Act.