With immediate family members of most Covid-19 positive patients who died in quarantine, the civic body’s fire department is at the forefront of carrying out the cremation.
As per instructions from the Centre and state government, the Pune fire brigade, PMPML and PMC’s health staff is helping relatives of the deceased carry out the cremation. In some of the cases, relatives were also not very keen to take back the bodies even as the civic administration wants bodies to be sent directly to the crematorium to avoid anyone coming in contact of the infected person.
PMC health chief Ramchandra Hankare said, “In one case, all biological relatives are Covid-19 positive cases. So other relatives didn’t come to pick up the body. Therefore, the PMC staff performed the cremation. We have given training to our staff, considering that we may need to carry more such cremations, if needed in future.”
Earlier last week, municipal commissioner Shekhar Gaikwad had ordered that the final rites will be carried out in the presence of PMC health staff for Covid-19 bodies. Fire brigade department head Prashant Ranpise said, “Municipal commissioner had ordered us to provide a vehicle and driver for the body of deceased. We helped carrying out two cremations till Tuesday. Even the PMPML has been asked to provide buses for dead bodies.”
Even if the Covid-19 patient died at a private hospital, they have to follow rules and need to take help of PMPML or fire brigade to carry the dead bodies.
{{/usCountry}}Even if the Covid-19 patient died at a private hospital, they have to follow rules and need to take help of PMPML or fire brigade to carry the dead bodies.
{{/usCountry}}PMC released a detail order on April 6 for the cremation procedure and what precautions should be taken by staffers.
A senior officer on condition of anonymity accepted that there is fear among the relatives of the deceased.
The vehicle which is used for carrying the body is sanitised immediately. The staffers who carrying the cremation are provided with all the precautionary equipment as per instructions given by additional municipal commissioner Rubal Agrawal. PMC has also instructed the health officers to inform the police while carrying out the process.