Accusing the State government of hiding the deaths caused due to coronavirus infection, CPI State secretary K. Ramakrishna on Tuesday demanded that a white paper be released on the actual number of fatalities.
Quoting the figures from the Central government’s Civil Register for May this year, Mr. Ramakrishna said the data suggest of the 1.30 lakh fatalities reported from the country 11,000 were from Andhra Pradesh when compared to 2,938 deaths shown by the State government.
Ex gratia sought
“In my estimation, at least 30,000 deaths related to COVID-19 had taken place in the State in May when compared to the Central government’s figures of 11,000. The government must release a white paper on the fatalities caused by the virus and give an ex gratia of ₹5 lakh each to the kin of all deceased,” Mr. Ramakrishna told the media here.
He said there were long queues at burial grounds and crematoriums in the State during May, but the government claimed them as natural deaths.
Meanwhile, Mr. Ramakrishna felicitated S. Mahboob Basha of the IMM Organisation for his services in performing the final rites of the unclaimed bodies in Anantapur.
