Obtaining death certificate a struggle in Odisha's Dhenkanal district

DHENKANAL:  Woes of children orphaned by COVID continue as they face the challenge of getting death certificates of their loved ones in Dhenkanal. The issue came to the fore when Child Welfare Committee (CWC) observed their ordeal during regular virtual meetings.

As many as 330 children have been orphaned due to Covid from April last year till date in the district. The administration will provive a sum of Rs 2,500 to a child per month and other benefits on submission of documents including the death certificate of their parents.

 Sources said the beneficiaries, mostly belonging to rural areas, have to run from pillar to post to obtain the certificates which often don’t even mention the cause of death as Covid-19, CWC claimed. A total of 46 children (with single parent) and eight orphans have approached the CWC till date and 17 have received funds already.