Bodies of all coronavirus patients will be cremated, says BMC

Mumbai: In a major decision to prevent the spread of deadly coronavirus, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to cremate all dead bodies of Covid-19 patients irrespective of their religion.

In a circular issued on Monday, the BMC commissioner Praveen Pardeshi has directed that the ritual involving touching the body should be avoided.

“This is done in respect of a community leader, who has brought to my notice that existing burial grounds are in highly dense locality with high chances of contamination. Further procedure of packing the body in plastic bag and burying prevents early decomposition and increases the risk. Hence, all the Covid-19 dead bodies should be cremated to avoid transmission chances in the community. Burial should not be allowed,” the circular stated. It also stated that only five persons can attend the funeral of a Covid-19 patient.

However, the BMC has allowed the burial of dead bodies at burial grounds away from dense localities. “If someone insists to bury the dead body, he will be permitted only if the burial grounds are large enough so as not to create possibility of spread of virus in the neighbouring areas,” says Mr Pardeshi.

Mumbai city has been one of the worst-affected region by coronavirus in Maharashtra, with 170 infected patients and eight deaths so far in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.

Meanwhile, two colonies in Worli area in central Mumbai were sealed, disinfected and fumigated on Monday in view of novel coronavirus outbreak.

After positive Covid-19 cases were detected in these localities, the BMC started a sanitisation drive there. Koliwada is home to local fishing community in Worli.

Local resident Gaurav Waralikar said, “The entire area has been sealed and there is a lockdown on public movement. Police are not allowing people to leave or enter the area.”

Local Shiv Sena MLA and Maharashtra minister Aaditya Thackeray tweeted, “Late last night since 2 am, Koliwada and Janta Colony have been sealed. Disinfection and fumigation is on along with contact tracing.”