‘Crematoriums to run for longer hours’

NEW DELHI: A day after the Delhi High Court expressed anguish over the backlog in disposing COVID-19 bodies that has come up owing to non-functioning of CNG furnaces at the crematoriums in Delhi, the AAP government informed that it has extended the working hours of crematoriums.

Now instead of 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. they will be open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. The Delhi government told the court that the LNJP hospital is being authorised to divert bodies to crematoriums at Panchkuian and Punjab Bagh, as opposed to only Nigambodh Ghat.

“Urgent steps were taken to remedy the situation like extending the working hours of the crematorium in order to clear the backlog,” said advocate Sanjoy

Ghose appearing for the Delhi government.

The submissions came in while the court was hearing a matter relating to the lack of facilities to cremate those who died due to COVID-19 and the bodies piling up in the mortuaries. A Division Bench of the high court comprising Justices Rajiv Sahai Endlaw and Asha Menon took suo motu cognisance of the issue on Thursday and converted it into a Public Interest Litigation.

Authorised wood fired traditional cremations, in addition to electric and CNG furnaces have been allowed to function and PPE kits for all workers, as well as bodies have also been made available, the government told the court. It further informed that 28 bodies were disposed of on May 28, and by May 30, the remaining 35 bodies will be disposed of.