SURAT: Wait for last rites at the city crematoriums have become longer with authorities imposing Covid-19 protocol on priority for suspected bodies.
While bodies continue to reach the three main crematoriums covered in PPE kit,
cremation of other general bodies gets delayed with family members having to wait for hours for their turn.
At Ramnath Ghela Crematorium (RGC) in Umra,
cremations have been rising consistently for the past one week. Of an average 31 bodies, nearly six are performed under Covid-19 protocols. At Kurukshetra Crematorium in Jahangirpura, eight of an average 23 bodies are being cremated under
protocols for the past one week.
Ashwini Kumar Crematorium (AKC), however, refused to share data of cremations carried out in the past one week and those done with Covid-19 protocol. Prashant Kabrawala, one of the trustees, said, “I cannot give data of the
bodies cremated with Covid-19 protocol. On an average 70 bodies are being cremated every day at the AKC.”
Going by sources, on average 25 bodies are being cremated with Covid-19 protocol at the crematorium.
Health officials of SMC claimed that they do not collect data on cremations done done as per Covid protocol.
“There are no government guidelines related to maintaining data related to cremation,” said Pradeep Umrigar, medical officer, SMC.