Delhi woman moves HC, claims compensation not paid for death of husband on COVID duty

New Delhi: A woman has moved to the Delhi High Court claiming that her husband was posted with the CATS during COVID-19 last year and succumbed to the virus but the Delhi government denied her the Rs 1 crore ex-gratia promised to kin of the officials who died on the pandemic duty. Justice Rekha Palli issued notice to the Delhi government and sought its stand on the woman’s plea who has contended that according to an office note of the Centralized Accident and Trauma Services (CATS), her husband was discharging COVID duties, but the Revenue Department was of the view that he was not. The revenue department rejected the proposal sent by CATS recommending payment of ex-gratia and her appeal against that before the Lt Governor was also rejected. In her plea, the woman has said that her husband was an Accounts Officer in the Delhi Subordinate Accounts Service Cadre and he was sent on deputation to CATS in 2018. After the COVID-19 outbreak, from February 8 to April 20, 2020 he was assigned the charge of Administrative Officer and Head of Office at CATS in addition to his normal duties as disbursement officer, the petition has claimed and added that he was discharging COVID duties even after April 20, 2020. In May last year, the Delhi government decided to grant Rs 1 crore to the kin of those who succumbed to the virus while on COVID-19 duty. The petitioner’s husband was detected as COVID positive in June last year and he succumbed to it in July last year, the plea has said