HCWs in protetive gear offer puja at a temple at Nigambodh Ghat. (File photo| EPS)
HCWs in protetive gear offer puja at a temple at Nigambodh Ghat. (File photo| EPS)

With less COVID-affected bodies, crematorium staffers in Delhi get a moment to breathe at last

According to the official, the bodies of individuals who died due to COVID being brought to the crematorium started coming down over the past month.

NEW DELHI: From cremating as many as 30 bodies to four or five a day, the Nigambodh Ghat is currently placed in a much better situation when it comes to dealing with COVID-19 cases than it was a few months ago.

"It is a huge sigh of relief for us… The past three months have been very hectic for us. We were suddenly thrown into a situation that none of us were prepared for. We faced a lot of challenges initially but now it is much easier," said an official of the Nigambodh Ghat crematorium, which is run by an NGO on contract with the North Municipal Corporation.

According to the official, the bodies of individuals who died due to COVID being brought to the crematorium started coming down over the past month. "To be more specific, numbers are less by more than 70 per cent from the last 15 days. No matter what anyone says or claims, count from the crematorium ground always reveals the truth. And there is no denial regarding the state’s claim that deaths are lesser now," the official added.

At Karkardooma Crematorium, the official in charge also reiterated the same point. "We faced some difficult times over the past three months but now that seems to be in the past," said the official in-charge of the crematorium.

Haji Mian Faiyazuddin, the secretary of New Cemetery for Mohammedans (Qabristan Ahle Islam), said that nowadays, a maximum of four bodies are buried at the ITO burial ground, down from around 12. "Two days ago, we received the body of only one who succumbed to Covid. Over the past 15 days, we have been witnessing fewer cases. It is a good indication that more lives are being saved. When the pressure had mounted, we opted for a JCB for digging the ground as ICMR rule said that the depth of burial had to be 12-13 feet. The hospitals would inform us in advance and we kept the arrangements ready," he mentioned.

The Delhi government on Sunday claimed that a detailed analysis of deaths due to Covid-19 in Delhi carried out by the Health Department for the period June 1-12 June and July 1-12 July revealed a 44 per cent decline in deaths – from 1,089 between 1-12 June to 605 between 1-12 July.

Row over death toll

There had been a huge ruckus over the count of Covid fatalities in the city after MCDs had claimed that figures were much higher than claimed by the Delhi government in its health bulletin. The state government also formed an audit committee to ensure that the toll was maintained properly

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com