Delhi HC directs Delhi govt to release ex gratia of 1 crore to family of health worker who died on Covid duty

New Delhi [India]: The Delhi High Court has recently directed the Delhi government to release Rs One crore as Ex Gratia compensation to the husband and minor son of the health worker died on Covid-19 duty.

The husband of the deceased had moved a petition seeking compensation from the Government.

Justice Prathiba M Singh passed the judgment directing the Delhi government to release the compensation amount to the husband and the minor son of the deceased.

“It is directed that a sum of Rs. 50 lakhs be released to the Petitioner-Joseph Varghese. The remaining sum of Rs. 50 lakhs shall be released to the son. The said amount of Rs. 50 lakhs released to the son shall be retained by way of an FDR in the name of the minor Mr. Akshay Varghese Joseph by the Petitioner,” Justice Singh said in the judgement passed on September 21.

It was stated that the Petitioner Joseph Varghese is the husband of late Rachel Varghese (deceased), who was working with the Medeor Hospital, Qutub Institutional Area, New Delhi (formerly known as Rockland Hospital) as a Quality Manager in the Blood Bank which is in close proximity of the Intensive Care Unit (‘ICU’).

According to the Petitioner, during the COVID-19 Pandemic, the deceased continuously attended to the duties in the Blood Bank in the Hospital which was notified as a COVID-19 hospital on 24th May 2020, notified by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

“She developed fever on June 10, 2020 and unfortunately, passed away on June 17, 2020, due to COVID-19,” the petitioner said.

The husband of deceased moved the petition and prayed for grant of ex-gratia compensation in terms of the Cabinet Decision of May 13, 2020, regarding awarding of compensation to family of employees who die of the disease while on COVID-19 duty.

Advocate Satyakam, ASC for the GNCTD had submitted that the Group of Minister (GoM) meeting took place on September 13, 2023 and the Petitioner’s case has been unanimously recommended for grant of ex-gratia amount of Rs.1 crore to the family members of the deceased.