Dengue compensation: LHC directs govt body to address claim

A man’s plea that did not receive compensation announced by the CM for the families of people who died of dengue.

LAHORE:

The Lahore High Court on Thursday directed the dengue experts’ advisory group set up by the Punjab government to address within one month a man’s plea that he had not received the compensation announced by the chief minister for the families of people who died of dengue last year.

Petitioner Muhammad Khalid submitted through his counsel that his 20-year-old son Qasim had died of dengue fever at Mayo Hospital. He said the chief minister had announced financial support for families who lost loved ones in the epidemic.  The petitioner said when he approached the Health Department, he was told that his son was on the list of dengue victims and his grant would be released soon. However, he said, six months later when he contacted the department again, he was told that the records of his son had been lost. The petitioner asked the court to direct the Health Department to find the records and pay the compensation announced by the government.

On Thursday, a law officer told the court that the government had set up a dengue experts’ advisory group which was dealing with such matters and asked that the case be referred to the body.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 1^st, 2012.