Can’t pay Rs 4 lakh compensation to Covid victims: Centre tells SC

New Delhi: The Centre has told the Supreme court that it cannot pay Rs 4 lakh compensation to all those who died due to Covid-19.

The Centre filed a 183-page affidavit late last night in response to a PIL seeking Rs 4 lakh compensation for Covid victims.

Pointing out that the pandemic has claimed more than 3.85 lakh lives and the toll is likely to increase, the Centre said that states are reeling under severe financial strain, cannot afford to pay Rs 4 lakh to every victim.

Further it explained that the Disaster Management Law states that compensation applies only to natural disasters like earthquake or floods., the government said that due to the pandemic’s massive scale it would not be appropriate to apply it to Covid.

“Utilisation of scarce resources for giving ex-gratia, may have unfortunate consequences of affecting the pandemic response and health expenditure in other aspects and hence cause more damage than good,” the centre added in its affidavit.

More Details to be added…