Bodies of COVID-19 victims have been piling up in mortuaries of various hospitals and crematoriums of Bhilai and Durg, as the District Administration and Civic Authorities are struggling to deal with the sudden surge in cases of COVID-19 infection and fatalities. In the last two weeks, the number of cremations performed in different crematoriums, including Ramnagar Muktidham, Risali and Durg Muktidham has increased by 5-6 times owing to sudden spurt of COVID fatality across district. If sources are to be believed that the BMC authority has made arrangement for cremation at Ramnagar Muktidham and over 50-55 dead bodies, including COVID deaths and non-COVID deaths are being cremated on regular basis since fatality rate drastically increased in city.

 

 

 

This includes, bodies of COVID, non-COVID as well as COVID suspected patients brought from the city-based hospitals, COVID Care Centres and nearby areas. While several families are not able to receive the bodies or come forward to conduct the last rites due to the pandemic, a designated team of civic authority is conducting the funerals. Similarly, in Risali Muktidham and Durg Muktidham, ambulances with bodies of victims who succumbed to the COVID-19 were seen waiting for another cremation under way inside the crematorium to get over. A worker from Risali Municipal Corporation, deployed at Risali Muktidham informed that sometimes there are large numbers as all of the bodies have to be sent for cremation in the wooden pyre.

 

“We sanitise ourselves and cover our faces with masks. After every cremation, we fumigate the area around the pyre and thoroughly disinfect the crematorium”, he said. Another worker from Durg Municipal Corporation engaged in cremations at Durg Muktidham informed that relatives of the deceased are not being allowed to conduct the final bath or giving water or any other form of physical contact as part of rituals. They are also being directed to observe the body from at least a meter’s distance and for a limited period of time. “Sprinkling gangajal, holy water or other rituals can be done only without touching the body and without opening of the bag”, he added. However, lack of electric crematoriums in any of the crematoriums across district has slow down the process of cremation as the authority is still dependent on wood pyres. Consequently, people had to wait for more than two to three hours outside the crematoriums. Meanwhile, Urban Development Minister Shiv Kumar Dahariya has directed to make arrangements and build electric crematoriums in urban areas, including Raipur, Durg, Bilaspur, Korba, Bhilai and Risali. In the same context, the civic bodies of BMC, DMC and RMC have been asked to speed up the process of developing electric crematorium and are asked to invite short term tenders within seven days.