Applications for birth/death certificates pile up in Musheerabad circle

GHMC birth & death certificates halted in Musheerabad circle due to technical issues & expired digital keys.

Issue of birth and death certificates, one of the basic functions of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), has come to a grinding halt in Musheerabad circle, owing to technical problems.

The certificates have been held up since the elections, earning the ire of the applicants. The office of the Assistant Medical Officer of Health (AMOH) has reportedly pasted a notice for the applicants arriving at the office in droves, that the issue of the certificates will be resumed only after December 18.

M. Sreelakshmi, a resident of Nallakunta, is one of the many applicants facing the issue. She applied for death certificate of her father-in-law who had expired at home. As per requirement, she applied through Mee Seva, furnishing the affidavit and all other relevant documents.

“Later when I went to collect the certificate, I was informed that it would be rejected for absence of mother’s name of the deceased. In order to apply again, our application has to be first rejected. I have been making rounds of Musheerabad circle office, seeking rejection of the application, but they cited technical issues pertaining to digital key,” Ms. Sreelakshmi said.

Birth and death certificates need to pass through AMOH of the respective circles, and to access and approve the certificates, digital keys are given to the officials concerned. The keys need to be renewed every year, which has not been done in the Musheerabad circle.

Meanwhile, the agreement with the agency which generates the digital keys came to an end, and fresh tenders are being processed, which has delayed the process further.

“The system issues daily alerts for 15 days before the key becomes invalid. It is the responsibility of the official concerned to renew it without lapse,” said officials from the IT department of the GHMC.