Covid cremations hit hurdle

Locals of Amberpet urge not to burn Covid bodies of outsiders at Haraspenta

Residents of the Amberpet Assembly constituency have alleged that Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) workers are cremating the bodies of Covid-19 patients at the Haraspenta graveyard near the Kacheguda slaughterhouse.

Their complaint is that though only 16 deaths have taken place in the constituency, 30 bodies have been disposed of at the graveyard, that too between 9.30 and 10.30 pm since a week. Residents are complaining that bodies of “outsiders” are being burnt here. They have also had a confrontation with the graveyard staff.

Locals allege that corporation officials are cremating the bodies of at least five Covid-19 victims between 9.30 and 10.30 pm on a regular basis since the last few days.

It is stated locals tried to catch the staff cremating bodies redhanded on Monday night, but they escaped from the scene. Youths got into a confrontation with the graveyard manager on Tuesday morning over the issue.

Mahender Raju, a resident of Kacheguda, said authorities have been cremating decomposed unclaimed bodies along with those of Covid-19 victims, which is giving them sleepless nights. Ash from cremated bodies has been troubling the residents. “We urge the authorities not to cremate at Haraspenta Covid-19 bodies from other locations because this is causing panic among residents,” Raju stated.

Another resident, Sudhakar, said conventional cremations are leading to respiratory and other health-related problems among people living in the vicinity in this densely populated area. Now, burning of Covid-19 bodies at Haraspenta graveyard is causing fear.

“We were shocked when a staff member of the graveyard told us that unclaimed Covid-19 bodies are being cremated in the graveyard. We would not object to cremating local bodies, whether Covid-19 or non-Covid-19. But we will not allow unclaimed and other dead bodies from different locations to be cremated at Haraspenta graveyard”, Sudhakar maintained.

When contacted for clarification, health and GHMC authorities refused to comment on the issue. However, they assured that the concerns raised by residents will be dealt with in a coordinated manner.

IT IS STATED locals tried to catch the staff cremating bodies redhanded on Monday night, but they escaped from the scene.

CONVENTIONAL cremations are leading to respiratory and other health-related problems.