E-Paper
Covid-19: To prevent delay, conservancy staff assists with cremation in Pune
A total of 49 persons have died of the Covid-19 disease in Pune as of April 17
The delay of almost one and a half hour in the cremation of a Covid-19 victim on Friday could have extended further had it not been for assistance from three sanitary workers, on contract, who were on the premises of the Vaikunth crematorium.
The workers were provided with personal protective equipment (PPE) and persuaded by Pune municipal employees to assist a civic staffer, who was only involved in disinfection measures, and another person on contract, at the crematorium with carrying the body.
Previously, two cremations at the Vaikunth and Yerawada crematoriums had suffered delays of almost four hours due to shortage of manpower. After those delays, Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) officer incharge of crematoriums, Shrinivas Kandul, had said that steps were being taken to address the delays.
A total of 49 persons have died of the Covid-19 disease in Pune as of April 17.
On Friday evening, a Covid-19 body was brought to the Vaikunth crematorium from KEM hospital and as just two employees were present at the gas-fired crematorium, nothing could be done for almost one and a half hour .
While the relatives maintained a safe distance as per the protocol, civic officials at the crematorium asked three sanitary staffers to put on the PPEs and assist in carrying the body to be placed in the furnace.
Kandul acknowledged the delay said the situation needs to be fully appreciated. “We are trying our best to provide adequate staff. But the employees are also reluctant and unwilling to touch the body in spite of being provided with PPEs. The gas-fired furnaces are run by a contractor who has been told to increase the manpower for all the three shifts. He has assured to do so even as the PMC is making alternate arrangements,” Kandul said.
Kandul said the issues at the Yerawada crematorium had been sorted out and there were no complaints of delays from there.
He said that although six gas-fired crematoriums at different locations in the city had been linked to hospitals and earmarked for Covid-19 cremations, relatives had their preferences which was also a cause for delay.
