Newborns issued death certificate in Andhra Pradesh

ONGOLE: Mekala Aruna, of Jammanapalli village in Prakasam, gave birth to a baby girl on April 6; and applied for a birth certificate on April 13. But instead of a birth certificate, the panchayat office issued a death certificate to the newborn, Sanjana.

Aruna said she needed the birth certificate for her daughter as she wanted to apply for Bangaru Talli, a girl child welfare scheme of the government. A birth certificate is mandatory if one wants to apply for the scheme.

Aruna said she had gone to the panchayat office several times with her husband Adamu, where Venkateswara Rao, the village secretary, had sought Rs 400 for the issuance of the birth certificate. The new mother claimed that she had told the officials about her family’s poor financial status and requested them to issue the birth certificate.

On April 19, Mr Venkateswara Rao reportedly handed over a document stating that it was the birth certificate for the baby. As Aruna and Adamu both are illiterate, they could not check whether it was actually the birth certificate.

The parents said when they applied for Bangaru Talli with the “birth certificate”, the application was rejected and returned as a death certificate was submitted instead of a birth certificate. Aruna said the village officials had “killed” her baby girl as the parents could not pay Rs 400 as bribe.

Mr Rao, however, refuted the bribe allegations and said that the death certificate was issued by mistake. He said the officials will be reissuing a birth certificate. Meanwhile, the higher officials of the revenue department started an inquiry on this issue.