Certificate shortage hits MCC, Zonal Offices; supply limited to only one per person per day

Mysore/Mysuru: A supply shortage has hit the Birth and Death Certificate issuing offices in the city and as a result, only one certificate — either birth or death — is being issued per person per day.

The shortage has affected the performance at the main office and the offices in all the nine zones of the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) and the residents are severely inconvenienced and are running from pillar to post to get multiple certificates for different purposes.

The shortage has been witnessed for two weeks or so and each zonal office is supplied with a limited number of certificates per day to enable the issuing of certificates after charging Rs. 5 per certificate. Chandrakala, a resident of Gayathripuram, who had come to the Zone 1 Office near Lakshmi Talkies this morning told Star of Mysore that she needed 10 birth certificates but got only one.

Zonal birth and death data officers have expressed their inability to issue more than one certificate as there is a short supply from the main MCC office. “We send daily reports to the MCC Statistical Office and there is a short supply. Nothing is in our hands, but we have to face public anger. Also, certificates were not issued for a couple of days as almost all computer operators were put on Legislative Council election data compiling duty,” an officer said on condition of anonymity.

“We need original birth and death certificates for many purposes including school admission of the children and to claim insurance in case of accidental death and also natural deaths. Only one certificate is issued per person per day and if we need five certificates, we have to come to the MCC                office on five working days,” said Rajashekar, who was at Zone 5 MCC Office.

MCC Statistical Officer Anil Christie said that except for Zone 6, none of the zonal offices was sending daily reports. “Only if they send the daily reports, we can see the demand and allow the required number of certificates to be issued.         We will stop sending even the regular quota if the reports are not sent,” he said.

This stand, however, is contested by the Zonal Offices who claim that daily reports are sent to the MCC head office in the evening. But the public is caught in the confusion and they are the affected lot. 

“Some people ask for 50 to 100 birth/death certificates and it is impossible to cater to their demand. Yes, there is a shortage for a month or so as the State authorities have restricted the supply and a limited quota has to be maintained. Still, if there is an emergency situation, we have told our officers to issue four to five certificates on humanitarian grounds and this is to minimise the inconvenience. Why do people need 25 to 100 certificates? It is illogical,” said G. Lakshmikantha Reddy, Commissioner, Mysuru City Corporation.