PMC extends financial aid of Rs 4k per Covid cremation

Prayagraj: At a time when the many residents of the city are struggling to cremate their loved ones who are dying due to Covid-19, Prayagraj Municipal Corporation (PMC) is extending financial aid of up to Rs 4,000 per body to facilitate their cremation.
The PMC is extending this help only at Phaphamau Ghat and has stationed its team to oversee the cremations of those dying of Covid. The aid is being given in accordance with an order issued by the state government in this regard, informed PMC officials.
However, in order to avail this aid, the relatives of the deceased persons are required to produce documents from a pathology lab or a hospital to support their claim that the deceased individual was Covid positive, said PMC zonal officer of Phaphamau area, Neeraj Singh.
All relevant details of the bodies cremated with the help of PMC’s financial aid are being duly entered in the records and maintained, he added.
Singh said that from May 13 to May 18 (till 4 pm), a total of 85 bodies of people dying of Covid have been cremated with the help of PMC’s aid.
“This includes 22 bodies cremated on May 13, another 22 on May 14, 13 on May 15, nine on May 16, 12 on May 17 and seven on May 18 (till 4pm),” he added.
Officials made it clear that while the financial aid is being provided by PMC and its team is present at the site to oversee the cremations, it is the family members who are performing all the rituals.
During the first wave of Covid-19, the administration was not only bearing the cost of the cremation, but also performing it. The family members were not allowed to be present at the site. However, in PMC-supervised cremations this time, the family members are being allowed to remain present, albeit with all precautions, added the officials.
In the missive issued by principal secretary, urban development, Manoj Kumar Singh, it is mentioned that the financial aid would also be provided for burials to the relatives of the individuals belonging to minority community who are dying of Covid.
It is to be noted that following the announcement of the state government, the order issued in this regard mentioned an aid of up to Rs 5,000 for the cremation of an individual dying of Covid. However, the financial aid being extended by PMC since May 13 is only Rs 4,000 per cremation.
As per officials, in a meeting held by mayor Abhilasha Gupta ‘Nandi’, municipal commissioner Ravi Ranjan and other officials, following the state government order, it was decided to extend a financial aid of up to Rs 4,000 only in Prayagraj since the cost of each cremation in the district has been capped at Rs 4, 000 by the district administration.
“In Prayagraj, the cost of cremation is adding up to only Rs 4,000 per body, and this cost has also been fixed by the administration. Likewise, cost of burial in graveyards has been fixed at Rs 3,500 per body,” said mayor Abhilasha Gupta ‘Nandi’.