Delhi: North corporation serves notice to NGO running Nigambodh Ghat

NEW DELHI: The increase in the number of bodies of Covid-19 patients has aggravated the tension between the North Delhi Municipal Corporation and the Nigambodh Ghat Sudhar Samiti that runs its operations.
The corporation has issued a show-cause notice to the NGO asking why its contract with the civic body should not be terminated for not cooperating in running the facility.The NGO has been running the crematorium along the Yamuna - the largest in the city - since the last decade. A senior corporation official confirmed the notice.
A supervisor at the crematorium said the problem was triggered by the diversion of all Covid-19 bodies of east and north Delhi to this facility. "As the wood-based cremations have started, there is no need to divert east Delhi's victims to Nigambodh. We are simply not equipped to take so much load but officials are not listening," he added.
A senior NGO functionary said that out of the 95 platforms, 15 had been reserved for Covid bodies. "Some times we receive 14-15 corona bodies for wood-based funerals, besides 50-60 non-Covid bodies. Because asthis and ashes are not collected for three to four days after a normal funeral, we are facing a shortage of platforms for such bodies," he added.
Another official said relatives often weren't getting booking for non-corona bodies after 2pm. "The Seemapuri cremation ground is lying closed. The Ghazipur facility is only receiving normal bodies. We are just concerned about crowding and delays," he said.
Nigambodh Ghat currently receives corona-protocol cremation bodies from GTB Hospital, Rajiv Gandhi Hospital, Patparganj Max and Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital.
Last week, a similar action was taken by South Delhi Municipal Corporation after the staff of Punjabi Bagh Shamshan Bhoomi Sudhar Samiti initially objected to wood cremation of corona bodies citing safety issues.