Cremations begin along Saraswati riverbank

Cremations begin along Saraswati riverbank

Bharat.Yagnik@timesgroup.com

Ahmedabad:17.04.2021 

The mounting death toll of Covid-19 patients has left pyres and cremation furnaces incessantly burning across crematoriums in Gujarat. The situation is no different at the Saraswati Muktidham at Siddhpur, known as one of the biggest crematoriums in the state. With barely two furnaces out of 14 rendered operational at the Saraswati Muktidham in Siddhpur, cremations have now begun along the Saraswati river in Siddhpur.

This is perhaps for the first time that so many simultaneous cremations are taking place along the river bank. J D Patel, trustee, Saraswati Muktidham Trust, said, “We have a total of 14 furnaces at the crematorium, of which five are under maintenance. Due to cremations taking place constantly, seven furnaces got burnt and are inoperative for the time being, leaving only two running.”

“Against some 20 cremations taking place in a day on normal days, due to the rise in death toll of Covidpatients, at least 50 cremations are taking place at the crematorium on a daily basis. It is impossible to do so with two furnaces and therefore, we’ve limited it for deceased Covid patients,” said Patel.

Cremation of the dead due to factors other than Covid is presently taking place along the Saraswati riverbank in the conventional way on a wood pyre.

Bodies of the deceased are being brought from Mehsana, Patan and Banaskantha districts to Siddhpur for cremation. “Two days ago i.e. on Wednesday, some 68 cremations took place at the crematorium. Of these, 29 were of Covid-patients,” said Patel.

At present, people at the crematorium have to wait for at least six hours for their turn to perform the cremation.

Of 14 furnaces at Siddhpur crematorium, five are under maintenance and seven are non-functional for the time being. Only two are operational