CHENNAI: Cremations in the gasifier crematorium at Kasimedu are running into delays with residents having to wait hours to cremate their kith and kin. As deaths related to Covid-19 are on the rise in the area and its surroundings, corporation officials are now scheduling burials and cremations, asking residents to come at the prescribed times.
Tondiarpet has been one of the most-affected zones in the Chennai city corporation’s limits with 23 deaths while Royapuram has recorded the highest number of deaths at 45. However, officials at Royapuram said cremations in the zone were currently done only at Moolakothalam, resulting in many cremations of Royapuram residents being performed at Tondiarpet zone’s Kasimedu Hindu crematorium.
N Lakshmikanth, a resident of Royapuram whose 75-year-old uncle passed away at Stanley hospital due to Covid-19, said he had to wait almost a day to cremate him.
“I was handed the body at 12.30pm on Sunday, an hour after he died but it was difficult to get his body cremated by evening at the Kasimedu crematorium. Already, seven bodies of Covid-19 victims were waiting for funeral proceedings,” said Lakshmikanth.
He further added that he was directed to Mullai Nagar cremation ground by corporation authorities. However, after reaching there, he found that five bodies were waiting to be cremated, leading to anxiety among the grieving family.
Lakshmikanth said he was told by officials to take the body back to the mortuary and come back at 11:30am on Monday. His uncle was finally cremated by noon at the Kasimedu crematorium.
‘Time slots given’
Corporation officials in Tondiarpet told Express that timings were being given to residents to keep residents from waiting. “We can only perform up to eight cremations a day. So the rest will have to be done the next day,” the official said.