At a time when there are complaints across the country about the undignified burial or cremation of COVID-19 victims, a bouquet is adding a touch of dignity in bidding farewell of the dead in Puducherry.
The Local Administration Department here is placing a bouquet of flowers on the mortal remains of persons who have lost their lives to the virus before the body is disposed of in a respectful manner.
The Union Territory itself had received bad publicity in June after a video of a frontline worker hurriedly dumping the body of a COVID-19 patient from Chennai went viral on social media.
“We ourselves encountered an unpleasant situation, and every day we see reports in the media about the undignified burials given to patients who die because of the virus. We prepared a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) immediately after the incident. From Thursday, we started placing flowers on the victim’s body before disposing of it,” said K. Coumarane, Veterinary Medical Officer cum Municipal Health Officer.
Besides, before taking the body to the burial pit or crematorium, the staff stand in silence and then place a bouquet on the body as a mark of respect. “Our aim is to provide a safe and respectful burial or cremation to the victim. The first incident was an eye- opener as it was the first case we were attending to. After that, we are making sure the victim gets a respectful burial,” he said.
The Local Administration Department had prepared a detailed SOP in June itself, outlining the responsibilities of the health, municipal and revenue authorities in disposing of bodies of COVID-19 patients. The services of a non-governmental organisation have also been roped in, said a senior official.
The Union Territory has recorded 25 COVID-19 deaths since the outbreak of the pandemic