Last rites of COVID-19 victims get dearer in Punjab

The last rites of a COVID-19 victim cost the family Rs 10,000 to Rs 12,000. A fixed-rate of Rs 6,500 is being charged for wood at the crematoriums irrespective of the fact whether the body is cremated or put in the gas chamber.

Ludhiana: Punjab is seeing a rapid surge in COVID-19 cases. To make things worse for patients and their relatives, they are being charged exorbitantly at hospitals and crematoriums.

The last rites of a COVID-19 victim cost the family Rs 10,000 to Rs 12,000. A fixed rate of Rs 6,500 is being charged for wood at the crematoriums irrespective of the fact whether the body is cremated or put in the gas chamber. Last year, the government was providing free gas cylinders for cremation. This year, people are compelled to buy a cylinder. To do a complete cremating ritual, one needs four gas cylinders which will cost about Rs 6,500, while the price of woods is constantly rising.

According to a person who cremated a family member, he was fleeced by the hospital and had to shell out Rs 12,000 at the crematorium. He said Rs 6,500 is being charged only for the wood while the actual cost is less than Rs 5,000.

CHANDIGARH

Due to the second wave of COVID-19, the situation is getting worse across the country. In Sector 25 cremation ground of Chandigarh, about 40 people are being cremated every day, out of which fifty per cent are the COVID-19 victims. The first wave last year had killed fewer people. On average, three deaths were being reported every day last year. This year, there is a definite surge, the caretaker of a crematorium in Sector 25 told ETV Bharat.

Only about six dead bodies are being cremated in a day at the electric crematorium as the process consumes more time. The remaining bodies are cremated using wood.

BHATINDA

The crematoriums are open for six days a week in the city. The number of deaths due to COVID-19 is increasing continuously due to which the demand for wood for cremation has also gone up. Rajan Garg, head of Rambagh Crematorium Management Committee, said due to the demand, wood is being procured for six days a week at Rambagh. Earlier, they used to buy it only once a week.

AMRITSAR

Amritsar doesn't have a dearth of wood for cremations. A large amount of wood is lying in the crematorium grounds. The officials of Durgiana Crematorium Committee said on the phone that a body requires three quintals of wood for cremation and it costs about Rs 1,300. They said there is enough stock of wood.

JALANDHAR

Earlier in Jalandhar city, four or five bodies were cremated in a day. Now, the numbers have increased to about 12. Since there is a constant increase in the number of bodies, there can be a shortage of wood in the near future.

According to Anil Kumar, manager of Kishanpura crematorium, Jalandhar, all facilities for the cremation with gas are available. However, people use it rarely. According to him, there are as many as eleven to twelve bodies for cremation every day, which is almost twice the number of cases reported earlier. People prefer cremating their loved ones with wood. According to him, such things are associated with the emotions of these people. Due to this, the consumption of wood has doubled at all cremation grounds.