Four of city's 11 crematoriums reserved for Covid-19 victims

.

Four of the 11 crematoriums in the city have been designated for those dead due to covid-19 by the civic body to ensure swift cremation.

As complaints mounted over delays in cremations and lengthening queues, BBMP commissioner N Manjunatha Prasad told news reporters that the crematoriums in Medi Agrahara in Yelahanka, Kudlu near Bommanahalli, Kengeri (RR Nagar-Yeshwantpur Road) and Panathuru will function from 7 am if necessary.

The crematoriums have two furnaces, and each can burn eight bodies in as many hours.

Follow live updates on the coronavirus here

Lack of coordination among officials and civic workers besides mishandling of the situation delayed a few cremations, Prasad acknowledged. “There’re 22 furnaces in 11 crematoriums with the capacity to cremate 192 bodies a day. Besides, there’re 105 burial grounds,” he said, pointing at the availability of space.

In June, 1,948 bodies were cremated, averaging 65 a day. Prasad is confident that the issues with crematoriums will be solved in three days. The civic body is working to get more land in the city outskirts to bury Covid-19 victims, the commissioner added.

Despite the sudden spurt in covid deaths in recent months, Prasad said the non-Covid deaths are more in number. “Twenty bodies are cremated
every day,” he said. “Given our capacity, it’s a small number.”

The BBMP is working to get the sanctioned 35 acres of land in eight villages on the city outskirts, while also asking the Karnataka Public Land Corporation to allot five acres exclusively to bury Covid-19 victims.

“Local people protest over burying or cremating the bodies of Covid-19 victims close to their villages since they’re panicked about the disease spreading,” Prasad said.

The BBMP is also considering engaging two earthmovers to dig ten feet deep pits for scientific burial of bodies in line with the ICMR protocol.

Market sealdown

The BBMP commissioner has ordered to seal KR Market and Kalasipalyam Market until further notice, following the increase in Covid cases.

Passing the order, civic body chief N Manjunatha Prasad said earlier it was decided to seal the markets till July 31. But as there is no improvement in Covid situation, the BBMP has decided to continue the sealdown of the markets until further order.