Covid-19 in Odisha: Man on ‘cremation job’ has his hands full

SAMBALPUR: More than five years into the cremation job, Ramesh Deep would not get disturbed emotionally making funeral pyre for the dead so easily.
However, the current spurt in deaths across age groups has tested his patience.
Ramesh, who is a staff member of prominent cremation ground of Sambalpur, Rajghat, said he felt disturbed when a bride-to-be had to be cremated in PPE kits days before her marriage.
“I have been working here at the Rajghat since 2016. I see cremation of all age groups everyday here. I never get disturbed as it is my job. But the cremation of a 27-year-old girl from Balangir district five days ago shocked me and trembled me from inside. The girl was scheduled to get married on May 7. First time in my five year job, I got extremely disturbed and depressed to see her being burnt and her family, who were crying inconsolably. The sight was really heart wrenching,” he said.
Ramesh said, the second wave of the Covid-19 has made us see many things which were once beyond our imagination, he added.
He said, the Rajghat here has been witnessing a rush for cremation every day these days. More than 20 cremations per day are being carried out every day. On many occasions, the people are being forced to wait for hours for cremation due to the rush. Queues for cremation are being seen at the cremation ground.
Considering the situation, even the district administration has now planned to add three more crematoria beds so that people will not have to wait for cremation, he said.
Ramesh, who draws a salary of only Rs 6,000 for this tough job, said, both normal cremations besides cremation in PPE kit are being carried out here but only a handful of staff are there at Rajgaht. There are only two sweepers who cremate bodies. While one staff cremates bodies in day time, another staff works in the evening time. Since there is a huge rush for cremation here at the cremation ground these days, at least one more sweeper should be engaged here, he said.
He said, cremating a body wearing PPE kit is really difficult. Hence, the sweepers here wear only the mask and gloves while cremating a body which come from Covid hospital.
The cremation ground here is also facing severe problems for the firewood now.
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