Bodies keep coming to cremation grounds

Workers at cremation grounds clearing open space to carry out funeral rites

Burning pyres at the ESI Cremation Ground in the city.

At 06:10 p.m. on Thursday, 12 bodies were in the process of being cremated at the COVID-designated ESI Cremation Grounds in Hyderabad.

“12 bodies are being cremated in my shift. I cannot reveal information about how many bodies were burnt throughout the day as I am not authorised to speak,” said a staffer who keeps track of paperwork at the cremation ground.

The number of bodies flowing in for cremations is such that workers at the cremation ground are clearing open space to carry out the funeral rites. The workers broke from the tradition of conducting funerals on the platforms which are numbered. The cremation ground has two locations where there are raised platforms where funerals are carried out. Three funerals were being carried out in the open ground behind the trees and shrubs.

“There is a constant stream of ambulances and red funeral vans. Earlier, there used to be two or three funerals in a day. Now, I have stopped counting the number of bodies that are coming here,” said a juice vendor at the entrance of the funeral ground.

According to Health bulletin, 23 persons lost their lives to COVID on April 21 across the State and 5,567 tested positive.

There are three designated cremation grounds for Hindus at Amberpet, Bansilalpet and the ESI Cremation Ground.

An official manning the Telangana Waqf Board Helpline for burials refused to share details about the burials, saying he was not authorised to give out the information.