Like several other parts of the country, Uttar Pradesh too is witnessing a cascade of Covid-19 cases even as the state government is enforcing a raft of restrictions to limit the spread. For instance, district magistrates of areas where there are more than 500 patients have been permitted to impose night curfew. So far, such measures have been announced in Lucknow, Varanasi, Prayagraj and Kanpur. However, bodies are beginning to pile up as well, and in some areas ensuring their last rites has emerged as a separate challenge.
According to health protocols, in cases of deaths linked to Covid-19, the funerals can only be performed in an electric crematorium and not on traditional Hindu wooden pyres. Special arrangements are also being made for the cremation of bodies of Muslims in cemeteries. But at Lucknow’s Bhaisakund Baikunth Dham, only one machine is running in the electric crematorium because of which bereaved families are having to wait for hours.
“My mother passed away because of corona after which we were given a slot at 11pm here. We decided to come on Thursday morning and we reached the crematorium at 9am but were still given a token for waiting. It seems the facilities that were made earlier are not adequate today because of the rise in Covid-19 cases,” said Lucknow resident Prashant Dwivedi, adding that he had to wait for more than eight hours on Thursday.
Another resident of the city, who did not wish to be identified, said his father-in-law had died of novel coronavirus infection at his home. After that, relatives reached the Bhaisakund crematorium with the body around 9.30am on Thursday. But, he said, since there was a significant pile-up at the electric crematorium, they were issued a token and told that their turn would come at about 8pm, or more than 10 hours later.
According to the caretaker of the electric crematorium at Bhaisakund, Azad, there are two machines but one is malfunctioning. That is why funerals are being performed in the only remaining machine, which has led to significant delays.
On Thursday, UP reported 8,490 Covid-19 cases over 24 hours. Additional chief secretary of health Amit Mohan Prasad informed the media that 50 per cent of these cases were from Lucknow, Prayagraj, Varanasi and Kanpur. The state capital topped the list with 2,369 cases and 11 deaths in the 24-hour period. There were 39,338 active cases in the state, the official said.
“39 more people have died from Covid-19 during the last 24 hours in the state. So far, a total of 9,003 people have died. 6,54,404 people have been infected in the state so far, though of these 6,06,063 people have become infection-free,” said Prasad.
An official of the district administration, on the condition of anonymity, said the situation at the crematorium should improve within the day. “There are two machines out of which one was not working properly and the process of cremation was slow,” he said. “However, the machine which was malfunctioning has been repaired and it is expected that both the machines will start working by evening today.”
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