257 bodies cremated in Rohtak this month

Ravinder Saini

Tribune News Service

Rohtak, April 26

Pushed to the brink, crematoriums in the district are being overwhelmed by the horrific wave of Covid. In the past week, the district recorded a six-fold increase in the number of cremations of Covid patients, a grim reminder of the pandemic that has devastated the country.

On April 19, eight Covid victims were cremated. And seven days later, the number rose to 50.

Sources say 257 bodies have been cremated with Covid protocols in Rohtak city this month so far. The number was 65 till April 18. Another 192 bodies were cremated in the next eight days.

Initially, a crematorium near the Vaish Education Society was used for cremating eight bodies in two shifts in a day. As the number of deaths increased, the MC raised the cap to 16 a day. Still that was insufficient to perform the last rites of all Covid victims. So, the MC dedicated another crematorium on the Jind road to Covid victims.

The delay in cremating the bodies has added to the agony of families already devastated by loss of their loved ones. They have to wait for at least a day for the last rites, while mortuaries of the PGIMS are running out of space.

Pradeep Godara, MC Commissioner, said: “Two crematoriums have been dedicated to Covid victims. Now, 52 bodies can be cremated in a day. It is hoped that there will no delay in performing the last rites.”