Docs needed in all wards to issue death report

The new civic administration should appoint doctors across the city to provide medical reports confirming the cause of deaths occurring at homes, said V Gopalakrishnan, a city-based civic and RTI activist. 

Medical reports are mandatory to register and avail death certificates, and to cremate the body. While hospitals provide reports for the patients who die at the facility, families of persons who die at homes often struggle to get medical reports. 

“Presently, family members of the deceased are getting medical reports from private doctors, who demand Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500. The civic body should appoint doctors in every ward exclusively for issuing medical reports free of cost,” he said. 

He also wanted the new administration to demarcate road boundaries and extent of waterbodies to prevent encroachments. 

“The civic body, along with the Revenue Department, should mark roads and waterbodies to prevent encroachments,” he added. 

Gopalakrishnan alleged that several candidates have filed affidavits without filling the forms fully. However, though several sections have been left empty, the assistant returning officers accepted those affidavits. Also, instead of releasing only abstracts of the affidavits online, complete affidavits should be made public, he urged. 

Expressing disappointment over non-inclusion of NOTA in EVMs, he opined that it was against the rights of the people.