Monsoon-fed Ganga submerges bodies buried at Phaphamau ghat
PRAYAGRAJ: The rising level of the Ganga due to rain has inundated a vast area situated between the two sides of Phaphamau ghat, including the site where a large number of bodies are buries on the riverbank.
Earlier, the strong currents were fast eroding the banks on the city side of Phaphamau ghat because of which numerous bodies were getting exposed. The site, which recently hogged limelight, lies in the vast sandy area between the Phaphamau road bridge and the old Curzon bridge.
The level of the Ganga at Phaphamau was 76.67-metre on June 20 and 76.70-metre on June 21.
However, it increased to 78.32 metre by 4pm on Monday.
This has inundated hundreds of graves which earlier faced the threat of getting exposed by the strong currents of Ganga.
Since June 4, large number of bodies buried in this area were getting exposed by the strong erosion of the riverbank.
Situation was so grim that zonal officer, Prayagraj Municipal Corporation (PMC), Neeraj Singh had cremated over 41 such bodies in a day last week. Till Saturday, this PMC official had performed last rites of 155 bodies.
Now as the water level is constantly rising since Saturday night due to monsoon rain the northern region, locals and even officials believe that no more bodies would be exposed as the process of erosion would stem.
“We are still keeping a close watch on the entire area and five members of my team are keeping a close watch even at night. Although now the threat to the buried bodies is far less but we are not taking any chances”, said Neeraj Singh.