TIRUPATI: The Chittoor district administration has received 4,632 applications seeking compensation for Covid-19 deaths, even as government figures, on Monday, put the cumulative number of casualties in the district at 2,000. Of the applications received, the administration processed and provided an ex gratia of Rs 50,000 each to 3,400 applicants.
Explaining the disparity, Joint Collector (Health) Ch Sridhar said, “we received applications not only from families of victims who had died in home isolation here, but also from those who had gone to Bengaluru and Chennai, and died while undergoing treatment there.”
Denying that the administration had under-reported the fatalities, he said all Covid deaths in the district’s hospitals were recorded. The official further added that several people from the district opted for medical treatment in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, which share their borders with Chittoor. “The relatives of those who had died there are now claiming financial assistance.”
Meanwhile, an official, who requested anonymity, said 1,178 applications were rejected for the want of relevant documents as per gazette notification. “Those applications without authorised ICMR ID and Covid positive result will be rejected. The decision was made by the Covid Death Assertion Panels to prevent misuse of the scheme.”