Getting death certificate is tough: Applicants

Instead of slip issued by cremation ground, LMC employees now want certificates by doctors mentioning the cause of death, say applicants

LUCKNOW : Getting a death certificate from the Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) for a non-Covid deceased has become difficult. Instead of the slip issued by the cremation ground, LMC employees now want certificates by doctors mentioning the cause of death to do the needful, said applicants.

Citing a new directive, civic employees said death certificate will be issued (in Covid cases) if the kin of the deceased brought a letter signed by their area corporator, but there were no clear instructions in case of non-Covid deaths.

“Many patients die at home. In such cases, even private practitioners don’t give death certificates, leave aside mentioning the cause of death. The new directive has made the process more difficult,” said an applicant at the LMC’s office, seeking death certificate of his kin.

On Tuesday, chief minister Yogi Adityanath had asked district magistrates and chief medical officers (CMOs) in all districts to ensure that kin of people who died of Covid or non-Covid causes must not face any problem in obtaining death certificates. If the death has happened due to Covid, then the certificate must clearly mention it, he stated.

However, an LMC employee said, “Many people seeking death certificates are coming without the certificate of doctors. We are not doctors and can’t mention the cause of death. That’s why we have no option but to demand a certificate issued by a doctor who has treated the patient.”

Usually, kin of patients treated in hospitals get the death certificates from the hospitals and these certificates mention the cause of death. “I need a death certificate of my brother who died at home. I don’t have any doctor’s certificate explaining the cause of death as it was a non-Covid death. The staff is afraid of action from higher authorities if they mention the reason on it without the doctor’s certificate. They say they can issue the death certificate on the letter of the corporator in case of Covid death. But things are not clear in case of non-Covid deaths,” said Anand Kumar, who was in Zone 4 office of LMC.

Ashok Singh, chief tax fixation officer of LMC, said: “Till now, we have not received any such complaint from citizens. In fact, we have made the process simpler, especially in cases of Covid deaths. Even if the bodies are disposed of in the field, what the residents need is the letter of a corporator or any public representative or a letter signed by five eminent citizens of the area. The municipal commissioner has given orders for not harassing anyone seeking death certificates.”

Additional municipal commissioner Amit Kumar said, “Strict action would be taken against the staff harassing citizens for death certificates. Anyone is free to walk into my room in case of any complaints regarding death certificates.