240 deaths in 4 days: Burial space runs short in Delhi

This steep rise has triggered panic among officials at Delhi’s largest burial ground in ITO, where earth movers have been pressed into service to dig multiple graves.

The sharp rise in the number of Covid-related deaths in the city in the last four days has prompted authorities to bring back heavy earthmoving machines to dig multiple graves as space in one of Delhi’s biggest graveyards runs out.

Relatives carry the coffin of a patient who died of Covid-19 at Qabristan Ahle Islam in ITO on Tuesday. Ajay Aggarwal/HT PHOTO

The number of Covid-19 deaths across the national Capital in the last four days alone — 240 — is more than the 169 deaths recorded in February and March, data released by Delhi government shows.

This steep rise has triggered panic among officials at Delhi’s largest burial ground in ITO, where earth movers have been pressed into service to dig multiple graves. Authorities are also trying to find more space to tackle the steady stream of bodies that has been coming over the recent days.

The last time an earth mover was used in the cemetery was sometime in October-November, during the third wave of the Covid-19 in Delhi. That time, as many as nine to 12 bodies reached the graveyard in a day on the worst of days.

But with the decrease in the number of deaths later — on some days in December last year and January 2021, no Covid bodies came in for burial — the machines were sent back.

The caretaker of the cemetery, Mohammed Shamim, said, “We thought the worst was over. But right now, we are getting about 25 bodies daily. Yesterday (Monday), we buried 25 bodies. This is the highest number of bodies we have received since the start of the pandemic. Last year, as the body count increased, we cleared a portion of the cemetery that was unused. However, we didn’t need that space as the number of cases started decreasing thereafter. But the situation is different now. We have space for only about 90 more bodies.”

Qabristan Ahle Islam is not the only burial ground in Delhi; there are other grounds in Mangolpuri, Madanpur Khadar and Shastri Park that are being used for burial of people who died due to Covid-19. The ITO cemetery, however, caters to nearly 70% of all bodies (whether of Covid patients or not) being buried across the city every day.

For people who died due to the coronavirus, here is a separate space marked within the cemetery as these cannot be buried next to those who have not died of Covid-19.

HT contacted Haji Mian Faiyazuddin, secretary of Qabristan Ahle Islam, for a response on how the management plans to keep up with the increasing number of bodies once space runs out. He refused to comment on the issue stating that he too had been diagnosed Covid-19 positive.

Jai Prakash, mayor of North Delhi Municipal Corporation, said, under whose jurisdiction Qabristan Ahle Islam falls, said, “As of now there is no lack of space at our burial grounds. But we are preparing for all eventualities. We have written to the Delhi government for alternative sites for burial of bodies,” Prakash said.

The Delhi government has said that the Capital is currently witnessing the fourth wave of Covid-19 in the city. An analysis of Covid deaths reported in Delhi shows that in November last year, there were 2,612 deaths -- the highest so far. The number of deaths started declining after that. In December, Delhi reported 1,276 deaths, followed by 292 in January 2021 and 53 in February. In March, there were 116 Covid deaths.

A worker at the burial ground, who did not wish to be named, said: “We start digging graves early in the morning these days to beat the rush of bodies. The mercury is also rising. It is not practical to make relatives stand for hours in this heat. It takes at least half an hour to dig up the ground for one Covid body. The earthmover comes in the morning and digs at least 15 graves everyday. But going by the trend, we will soon have to ask the operator to dig 25 graves. The deaths suddenly increased in the last 4-5 days. I fear, we will run out of space very soon as the body count is increasing daily. “

Bodies of people who did not die due to Covid-19 can be buried 4-6 feet deep. After a year, the same space can be used for another non-Covid body.

But in case of Covid deaths, the grave has to be at least 12 feet deep and the space cannot be used again — a rule meant to minimise any risk of contagion.