Pune: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has decided to issue the birth and death certificates via email. Amidst the COVID-19 outbreak, the civic administration has decided to email a copy of the birth and death certificate on demand by citizens.

There are restrictions on movements of people and due to the government order to allow only 5 per cent of the staff to work on a rotational basis in Pune and Mumbai government offices. The civic administration is unable to work with its full capacity. However, citizens need death and birth certificates for purposes, including pension, post COVID-19 school/college admissions, etc. Hence, PMC has decided to email a copy of the same.

The PMC assistant medical officer and death and birth certificate department head said, “Actually, we send four to five types of certificates to citizens on demand. They apply using the PMC CARE portal for the same. Now, we have decided to make this facility available to all those who demand them by emailing on address-birthdeath.pmc@gmail.com.”

She said, “We will first send a scanned copy of the certificate with the PMC seal on it. It is a free copy. Post COVID-19, people can visit their respective ward offices and collect copies after making a payment. Normally, we prepare and people collect printed copies from the ward offices. Citizens get the first copy for free. If they need more copies, they have to pay for each copy.”

Typically, citizens have to submit applications at the ward offices to obtain these important documents, which takes 21 days to be issued after applying.

In 2014, PMC had decided to issue the first copy of the birth and death certificates free of cost. If more copies are needed, they have to pay Rs 10 per copy.

A system has been set up for the same at the Kasba Peth ward office. The data collection of birth and death certificates is done there. Data can be accessed by the registration department at all 15 ward offices, and the certificates can be issued.