This story is from June 17, 2020

East Delhi municipal corporation burial grounds run out of space

East Delhi municipal corporation burial grounds run out of space
Photo used for representational purpose only
NEW DELHI: Two Covid-19 burial grounds at Mulla Colony and Bulland Masjid have run out of space. Due to steady rise in the novel coronavirus deaths, these burial grounds under East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) have received 47 bodies till June 14.
“A high-powered committee headed by a medical health officer visited the sites recently and directed the engineering department to level the limited space available on the premises to accommodate 30-40 bodies.
The work has started but it will take two-three days to make the surface smooth and usable,” said Sandeep Kapoor, standing committee chairman.
He added that EDMC had pointed out earlier that the burial grounds might run out of space any time but the situation turned grave on Sunday after relatives of a deceased person was turned away from the Mulla Colony graveyard.
“My aunt died on Saturday at GTB Hospital and we were told that the body will be handed over only after I get a slip from the burial ground for arrangements and space,” said a relative of the decesaed. “I visited the burial grounds at ITO, Shastri Park and Mulla Colony. The caretaker at the Mulla Colony ground clarified that there was no space left. Then we approached officials and the standing committee chairman. Arrangements could be made after a lot of persuasion,” added the east Delhi resident.
The issue was also raised by the EDMC mayor at Sunday’s meeting chaired by Union home minister Amit Shah. “We asked for permission to allow more crematoria for Covid-19 bodies or suspected cases as well as extending land for burial grounds that have already run out of space,” said mayor Anju Kamalkant.
Some crematoria in east Delhi fall under the jurisdictions of gram panchayats and the civic agency has been requesting for transferring some of them so that these can be developed and used in the time of crisis, said a civic official.
Unlike the north and south corporations, EDMC has no CNG furnace and till recently all bodies from its areas were sent to Nigambodh Ghat and Punjabi Bagh crematoria. After the government allowed wood cremation to speed up last rites and ease loads, the Karkardooma facility under EDMC started accepting Covid-19 bodies. Subsequently, the Seemapuri and Ghazipur crematoria have also been added to the list. Till June 14, these facilities have received 98 Covid-19 bodies.
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