After the HT report “MC delays birth certificates of people with dues” (July 11), the district administration on Monday repealed its order under which it had refused to issue birth and death certificates to the people who had unpaid water supply and sewerage bills.
In a fresh notice, the municipal council (MC) authorities have stated that “residents can get the first copy of birth and death certificates free of cost and for more copies they will require to pay Rs 1 each copy”.
According to information, Gurdaspur deputy commissioner Abhinav Trikha on Monday morning had a meeting with MS Randhawa, executive officer, municipal council, and directed him to withdraw the prevailing conditions for the issuance of the certificates.
The municipal council had on April 25, 2013 passed an order, directing the health department officials to issue the certificates to only those people who had obtained “no due certificate” from the council.
As the employees working at the birth and death department come under the jurisdiction of the health department, hence they are not bound to follow the council orders.
As most of the private schools had made it mandatory for the parents to attach the birth certificate of their kids with the admission form, there are more than 5,000 applications — as per the figures — seeking birth certificates are lying pending with the council.
{{/usCountry}}As most of the private schools had made it mandatory for the parents to attach the birth certificate of their kids with the admission form, there are more than 5,000 applications — as per the figures — seeking birth certificates are lying pending with the council.
{{/usCountry}}Besides there are numerous applicants seeking death certificates, which is mandatory for various legal purposes.
Even the regional passport officer has now made it mandatory to attach the birth certificate of the applicant with application forms.
Taking advantage of the situation, the cash crunched council got an excellent opportunity to collect its dues.
Terming the council’s April 2003 order “violation of the citizens’ rights”, the deputy commissioner said getting “birth and death certificates is the right of every citizen and nobody can deny it”. He said that he would initiate an inquiry into the council’s April 25, 2013 orders.