When on the one hand we call them COVID warriors, on the other hand, it should evoke respect and due consideration for them which should also be visible. On the contrary , when official apathy and indifference like treatments are meted out to the next of kin of those personnel in the Health Department who lost their lives as a consequence of coming in direct contact with the infected persons whilst attending on them , it looks not only unbelievable but unfortunate as well. If we have on comparative basis, almost subdued and brought under control to a larger extent the lethal effects of the COVID-19 pandemic , the credit to a increasing extent goes to the undaunted and untiring services rendered by one and all associated with treating , caring and attending on the virus infected patients . Verily, for doing such a job especially during the period when pandemic had peaked menacingly, the concerned Health personnel throughout the country rightly earned the title of warriors and when a warrior lays down his or her life while performing duty or as a consequence of performing such duty, it is the bounden duty of the administration and the society to see that proper justice was meted out to him or her.
Should the dependents , on the contrary, be compelled to run in desperation from pillar to post for seeking help of the concerned authorities in disposing off their cases favourably or such authorities on their own, should expedite disposal of their files and cases, is again a matter of the mindset? Be it insurance claims , getting ex-gratia and even the dues in lieu if Leave Encashment , Gratuity etc and other claims not having been released so far in favour of the deceased employees is sending wrong messages about the veracity of the tall claims made by the Government about encouraging and assuring the COVID warriors .We are afraid that utter callousness of the administration has reportedly driven many surviving dependents with no other source of income , to the levels of facing and being on the verge of starvation. Reports reaching our news desks reveal that in most of the cases, not a single penny of claims and entitled dues had been released, so much is the Health Department infested with administrative red-tape and lethargy. An employee having served for decades and given the best , his or her dependents being treated quite indifferently and with total apathy is unwarranted and un-called for.
What happened to the much hyped Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package – Insurance scheme for those health workers who in quite committed manner rendered their services to COVID -19 patients with an insurance cover of Rs.50 lakh ? Have claims been settled, and how many and amounting to how much like details are not known. In addition to this insurance, UT of Jammu and Kashmir too had announced an ex-gratia of Rs. 25 lakh payable to heirs and dependents of those who lost their lives while attending to COVID-19 patients and allied assignments. Ask any of the dependents of the deceased warriors as to whether they received these monetary benefits and the response is big ‘No’.
The impression gathered by all these hapless dependents is nothing less than backtracking by the concerned administration on all tall promises made when the strained administration needed the services of the deceased warriors when the pandemic had wrought havoc all around and, perhaps, now due to easing of the situation , the culture of working in the Health department had reverted to its ”original form” that of even things of sensitive nature like the ones under reference , being treated quite casually . We urge the Government especially the top hierarchy of the Health Department, to look into all such cases on priority basis by opening a separate window or cell in the department to exclusively deal with and expedite all cases and claims within a fortnight since the cases pertain to deceased employees (read COVID-19 warriors). Space should be earmarked for future eventualities in such a way that there was no yawning gap between assurances and their fulfilling and let it be demonstrated in the instant matter at an early date.
Follow our WhatsApp channel