IT News
Mumbai/Pune, April 11
The dead bodies of COVID- 19 victims will not be handed over to relatives of the deceased and will be cremated at electric or gas cemetery by the state and those wanting to bury the dead bodies, will have to bury them in a 6 feet deep trench,out of the city/town, Pune Divisional Commissioner Dr Deepak Mhaisekar said here on Friday.
The dead body will have to be spread with insecticide and put it in two plastic bags before burial, Dr Mhaisekar said and added that the decision has been taken as per provisions of the Epidemic Diseases Act (EDA)1987 .
Packing the body in plastic bag prevents early decomposition and the spread of virus. Besides, the body should be disposed off at the nearest crematorium irrespective of the religion. These rules have been framed under section 2,3,4 of the EDA and Mumbai Municipal Commissioner has been declared empowered officer to initiate such measures.
On 30 March 2020, The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) commissioner Praveen Pardeshi had issued a directive mandating cremation of dead bodies of Coronavirus patients regardless of their religion as one of the containment measures to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus in Mumbai.
In a circular issued regarding the “Disposal of Dead bodies of Covid-19”, the BMC had decreed that all those who have died of COVID-19 will be cremated irrespective of their religion, strongly advising against following the rituals that entail touching of the dead body. The edict read that the order was taken after it was brought to the notice of Commissioner Pardeshi that all the burial grounds in the city were located in highly dense localities with a high risk of contamination of dense community/residential areas in the vicinity.
The notice also added that if someone is insistent on burying the dead body of a COVID-19 patient, he will be permitted only if the dead body is taken out of the Mumbai city’s jurisdiction in a burial ground and transport and other arrangements are made by the same person, following all the mandated guidelines and advised precautions as given for the disposal of dead bodies of Covid-19 patients.
In addition, the circular also highlighted that the burial of a body packed in a plastic bag delays early decomposition of the body and poses a threat of further transmission of the virus. The notice called upon the Assistant Commissioners to inform about the same to local leaders, adding that the funeral for the deceased should not involve more than 5 people.
It also instructed the hospital authority to inform the local police station before handing over the body to the relatives, contingent upon the confirmation received from the family members of abiding by the above instructions.
The notice also added that if someone is insistent on burying the dead body of a COVID-19 patient, he will be permitted only if the dead body is taken out of the Mumbai city’s jurisdiction in a burial ground and transport and other arrangements are made by the same person, following all the mandated guidelines and advised precautions as given for the disposal of dead bodies of Covid-19 patients.
However, circular was withheld, after the outrage of NCP leader and Minority minister of Maharashtra, Nawab Malik. Later in a tweet Malik claimed that he spoke to Mumbai Municipal Commissioner and as such the circular was withdrawn.
Meanwhile in Maharashtra 110 (66 deaths in Mumbai) deaths have been recorded with number of active COVID19 cases climbing up to 1666.
