Graft governs issue of birth/death certificates

​Hyderabad: The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) wing concerned with issue of Birth/Death certificates, is now a den of corruption, with many harried citizens claiming that a section of the staff is hand in glove with brokers and demand bribes ranging from Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 to issue birth and death certificates.

Otherwise, citizens are given a taste of birth pangs or death throes by making them run from pillar to post. Aggrieved citizens also claimed that some members of staff in circle offices have been deliberately issuing the certificates with wrong spellingsto demand bribe subsequently in the name of effecting corrections. In any case, people are made to run around GHMC offices for months.

Officially speaking, birth certificate can be obtained from GHMC if the birth registration is entered in GHMC records. Citizens can collect their certificates instantly from Citizen Service Centres (CSC) or Mee-Seva centres. Not only this, there are other claims (see inset) that are questionable, going by the experience of harassed citizens.

According to an official, in respect of birth certificate GHMC has tied up with 145 of 1,400 hospitals from where the birth details are sent online. As for the other hospitals, the applicant needs to seek the certificate from the hospital, and submit it to GHMC.

In case of accidental deaths, the local police concerned must give a letter,along with a copy of the post-mortem report to GHMC. In most cases, the applicant needs to shell out money at the police station as well as GHMC office.

The GHMC has been issuing 1.85 lakh birth certificates and 45 death certificates annually. Highly placed sources in the GHMC said that applicants receiving death and birth certificates need to make the rounds of various circles for atleast six months to correct spellings (deliberately misspelled) in the certificates. Sources said, “If the applicant pays the amounts demanded by brokers, the certificates will be issued in less than three days”.

Sharing his bitter experience, Balasundaram (name changed) of Kukatpally said, “My father expired in June this year. The same month I had applied for the death certificate. Every month I am made to make the rounds of the GHMC circle office. Brokers are demanding Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 per applicant and the work is done in 8 to 10 days. But why should we pay middlemen when GHMC promises to provide this facility within 21 days?”

MD Anser of Mehdipatnam said, “I had approached the e-Seva officials as directed by GHMC authorities who claimed they had no records of my baby’s birth. I provided the required information to the e-Seva officials and applied for the certificate during the second week of June. I am yet to receive the certificate. I am doing the rounds GHMC offices, but they are unavailable".

When contacted, Statistical officer T Raj Kumar admitted that there is corruption at the ground level. He urged citizens not to pay money to the middleman. Instead, they must ensure correct spelling while incorporating the child's name in the birth certificate and the deceased person’s name in the death certificate. The issue would be taken to higher authorities to take stringent action against the corrupt officials.

Raj Kumar further said that applicants could incorporate the child's name until he/she turned 15 years. He said for non-institutional births and deaths, citizens should immediately report to the nearest ward office and obtain certificates in 21 days. He said that GHMC would collect penalty amount of Rs 10 after 21 days.

NRIs should apply for birth certificates within 60 days after their first visit to India upon the child's birth and the same would applicable for obtaining death certificates. GHMC will collect penal amount after 60 days.