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Death in Covid times: Cremation grounds, graveyards in Lucknow overburdened
LUCKNOW With the Covid tally rising, cremation grounds and graveyards in Lucknow are overburdened having received more bodies than usual during the last few days
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LUCKNOW With the Covid tally rising, cremation grounds and graveyards in Lucknow are overburdened having received more bodies than usual during the last few days.
While staff at Baikunth Dham and Gulalaghat were working day and night to end the waiting list for last rites, cremation of Covid positive bodies was not allowed at the Alambagh crematorium.
“The influx of bodies has increased in the last few days. Normally, 10 to 15 bodies are cremated in a traditional way every day and around 5 to 10 are cremated in the electric crematorium at Bhainsakund,” said Ram Nageena Tripathi, in-charge of city crematoriums.
“At Gulalaghat, 7 to 10 bodies are usually cremated in a traditional way and 4 to 6 are cremated in the electric crematorium. But all of a sudden, the number of bodies has doubled at these crematoriums since last Friday,” he added.
On Sunday, 42 bodies were brought to Bhainsakund and 27 at Gulalaghat while on Monday Bhainsakund received 57 bodies and Gulalaghat 29. Most of these were Covid positive bodies. On Tuesday till 3.30pm, 57 bodies had been brought for cremation, 38 at Bhainsakund and 19 at Gulalaghat, said Tripathi.
BODIES FROM OTHER DISTRICTS ALSO
He said many bodies were from adjacent places where cremation of Covid positive bodies was not possible.
“No one is willing to touch these bodies in other districts, but here we have trained manpower for cremation of infected bodies and that’s why bodies from Sitapur, Baranbanki, Rae Bareli, Hardoi, Jagdishpur, Sultanpur are sent here for cremation,” added Tripathi.
100 WORKERS FOR CARRYING BODIES
The Lucknow Municipal Corporation has hired 100 labourers on contract to properly carry infected bodies from the bus to the cremation platforms. These workers would be provided PPE kits, gloves and sanitisers. They will work in two shifts, said municipal commissioner Ajay Dwivedi.
50 EXTRA PLATFORMS
The corporation has raised 50 extra platforms for cremation of bodies at Bhaisakund and Gulalaghat, he added.
NO WOOD SHORTAGE NOW
There was a shortage of wood at the cremation grounds during the last three days because of a large number of cremations, but the problem has been sorted out, said municipal commissioner Ajay Dwivedi.
Five more incinerators would be placed at Gulalaghat, Bhainsakund and Alambagh crematoria within 15 days, he said. Currently, there are two machines at Baikunth Dham (Bhainsakund), one of which is around 30 years old, so it would be replaced by a new one, while two more machines will be installed bringing the number to four, added Dwivedi.
“Gulalaghat and Alambagh will get one new machine each,” he said.
VEHICLES TOWED AWAY
Parking has become a problem in front of the Bhainsakund cremation ground due to more cremations. A number of vehicles were towed away by the private contractor hired by the LMC for towing vehicles. Many people accused him of extortion.
However, the allegations of charging penalty were refuted by an IPS officer on twitter, with a warning of action against those who spread rumours about challans.
SIMILAR SCENE AT GRAVEYARDS
Graveyards and cemeteries in the city also saw an increased number of burials. Maulana Khalid Rasheed Farangi Mahali, Imam, Eidgah, said he had never seen so many burials together. He also requested people to stay indoors and to strictly follow Covid-19 protocols.
The Sunni cleric said the Aishbagh Kabristan (city’s biggest graveyard) recorded burial of more than 200 bodies in the last 10 days.
“And, 30 burials took place on Monday,” he said.
Suppa Kabristan, Tal Katora, Malka Jahan, Imdad Hussain Khan, Gufran Mab, Abbas Bagh Ki Karbala, Misiri ki Bagiya were a few other graveyards that also witnessed burial of Covid infected bodies in the last few days. The mutwallis of graveyards said these people had largely died of Covid.
Similarly, cemeteries witnessed 12 burials in the last 10 days. Father Donald De Souza, parish priest, St Joseph’s Cathedral Church, Hazratganj said three burials were of infected patients that were carried out as per Covid protocol. Cemeteries at Nishatganj and Bandariyabagh are the two main Christian cemeteries in stat capital.
