New Delhi: No other country managed to do what India did in
terms of its response to the coronavirus pandemic, the Supreme Court said on
Thursday, in rich praise for the government, as it reserved the order on a case
involving the ? 50,000 compensation proposed for COVID-19 deaths.
“Today we are very happy.
There will be some solace to the persons who have suffered... Everything the
government is performing. We're happy that something is being done to wipe out
tears of the person who suffered,” Justice MR Shah said.
Justices Shah and AS Bopanna
also appreciated India's response to the coronavirus pandemic that drew intense
scrutiny over thousands of deaths due to the lack of preparedness for the
second wave and shortages of essentials like medical oxygen.
“Given the size of our
population, vaccine expenses, economic situation and the adverse circumstances
that we faced... we took exemplary steps... No other country managed to do what
India did,” the judges said.
The National Disaster
Management Authority (NDMA) has recommended that ? 50,000 be given to the family of those who died of COVID-19, the
centre had informed the Supreme Court on Wednesday.
It said that compensation
will also be given to the family of those who died of the virus and were
involved in COVID-19 relief operations or activities associated with the
preparedness for dealing with the pandemic.
The government said that NDMA
has issued the guidelines on September 11 following the directions of the top
court given on June 30 wherein it had directed the authority to recommend
guidelines for the financial assistance.
The assistance will not be
limited to families affected by COVID-19 deaths in the first and second wave of
the pandemic but will continue in future phases of the pandemic as well, the
authority said.
The compensation will be
provided by states from State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and all claims will
be settled within 30 days of submission of required documents, and disbursed
through Aadhaar linked Direct Benefit Transfer procedures, it added.
The centre's response came
over a batch of pleas by advocate Gaurav Kumar Bansal and intervenors
represented by advocate Sumeer Sodhi seeking compensation to family members of
COVID-19 victims.
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