Use LPG furnace to cremate Covid victims, orders CM

To contain the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar, on Saturday, directed the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram

To contain the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar, on Saturday, directed the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) to explore the possibility of equipping all existing crematoriums with LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) furnaces, officials said.

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In a crematorium that uses LPG, the body is placed directly into a furnace fuelled by LPG thus reducing direct contact.

During a video conference with all seven mayors of Haryana, including Gurugram mayor Madhu Azad, Khattar said patients who die of Covid-19 should be cremated at LPG-equipped crematoriums as this method is safer than the traditional method of burning a body over a pyre of wood. He proposed use of LPG facility as it involves minimal contact with the body and reduces the chances of people contracting the infection.

He subsequently, directed all mayors to explore into the possibility of equipping all existing crematoriums with LPG furnaces and directed the respective municipal commissioners to initiate a feasibility assessment.

Gurugram has one LPG-based crematorium at Madan Puri, next to Pataudi Chowk.

Azad said at the other two crematoriums—in Sector 32 and Sukhrali village near Atul Kataria Chowk—the MCG will initiate a feasibility assessment on how to install LPG furnaces.

“Any step which can reduce or contain the spread of coronavirus is being evaluated for implementation on a priority basis by the MCG. We will look at the best possible ways to ensure all crematoriums can be made LPG-equipped,” MCG commissioner Vinay Pratap Singh said.

On March 7, the MCG had designated six sites for performing last rites of people who die of Covid-19. Aside from the aforementioned cremation sites, three burial grounds at Sector 58 near Power House, Sector 58 near Ghata village and Badshahpur village were approved.

Khattar also reiterated the need for constituting local committees, comprising social workers and volunteers, at the polling booth level, to conduct surveys for determining the number of migrant workers in each area under the ‘Distress Ration Token Scheme’ to ensure they can be provided ration from the local government during the lockdown.

“The task for determining the number of migrant workers in each locality is underway to ensure they can be provided with adequate ration during the lockdown and nobody goes hungry. We have also received assistance from corporate and social institutions for this objective and are aiming to cover more parts of the city each day to ensure no migrant worker is left in a lurch,” said Azad.