East Delhi municipality adds two more crematoriums for Covid-19 victims

Civic officials said that with the inclusion of the two cremation grounds, the total number of Covid-19 dedicated crematoriums, burial ground and cemeteries in the city will stand at 13.

The East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) on Monday dedicated two more of its crematoriums for bodies of victims of Covid-19 confirmed and suspected cases .

Health workers in PPE coveralls during the funeral rites of a person who died of Covid-19 at Nigambodh Ghat crematorium in New Delhi(Sonu Mehta/HT PHOTO)

Municipal officials said that the two new additional crematoriums assigned for Covid-19 cremations are the ones located in Seemapuri and Ghazipur.

The move comes after North Delhi Municipal Corporation on Monday asked the east Delhi municipality to identify additional crematoriums for Covid-19 related bodies in its jurisdiction in order to reduce the load on Nigambodh Ghat.

According to civic body officials, as many as 748 cremations of Covid-19 positive and suspected victims were conducted at Nigambodh Ghat between March 14 and June 7. Out of 748 funerals, 556 were done through CNG furnaces while 192 cremations were done on wood pyres .

The request to east Delhi was made after north corporation standing committee chairman Jai Prakash, along with the civic body’s health department officials, conducted an inspection of Nigambodh Ghat crematorium, near Kashmere Gate, on Monday. The inspection was conducted after complaints of irregularities and delays in the cremation of Covid-19 bodies. Nigam Bodh Ghat crematorium is among the largest facilities designated for the funeral of bodies of victims that test positive for the virus in the city.

Prakash said that due to the infection spreading rapidly, there was a lot of pressure on Nigambodh Ghat. “We have urged the east and south Delhi municipal corporations to ensure arrangements of additional cremation grounds in their jurisdiction. The east municipality has designated Gazipur and Seemapuri crematoriums for the purpose. This will reduce some pressure on Nigambodh Ghat,” Prakash said.

North Corporation is the nodal agency looking after the cremation of bodies of Covid-19 positive and suspected cases.

Till now, only Karkardooma cremation ground was designated for funeral of Covid-19 related bodies. But now with the addition of Ghazipur and Seemapuri, there will be at least three cremation grounds available in east Delhi.

Civic officials said that with the inclusion of the two cremation grounds, the total number of Covid-19 dedicated crematoriums, burial ground and cemeteries in the city will stand at 13.

Out of these, only Nigambodh Ghat and Punjabi Bagh crematoriums are equipped with CNG-based funeral facility. “Only wood pyre based funerals will be conducted at newly added Ghazipur and Seemapuri crematoriums,” a senior civic official said.