COVID-19: Kerala rights panel seeks report on alternate arrangements at crematoriums

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala Human Rights Commission on Thursday sought an urgent report from the district administration on the need to make temporary arrangements at crematoriums here for the timely cremation of bodies, including the COVID-19 victims.

The panel's interventioncomes at a time when complaints galore that facilities at the public crematoriums here are inadequate to meet the present situation.

Kerala on Wednesday reported 41,953 new COVID-19 cases, pushing the caseload to 17.43 lakh. The toll mounted to 5,565 with 58 more deaths.

Justice Antony Dominic, Chairman of the state Human Rights Commission, also registered a case based on the media reports regarding this.

There are complaints that people have to book for cremation of their near ones at 'Shanthikavadam', the public crematorium at Thycaud here, and wait for days, the Commission said here in a statement.

For the past one week, the bodies of about 20 COVID victims had been cremated daily at this cemetery, under the city Corporation, the panel said quoting media reports.

At least24 bodies can be cremated in four furnaces and the machines are reportedly slow due to continuous use, it said.

The Shanthikavadam is the only public crematorium under the city Corporation in the capital city and the rest are the cemeteries of various community organisations.

In this context that the need for an alternate system arises, the panel said the case would be heard on May 28.

In another issue, Justice Dominic urged the government to take immediate action against the private hospitals for charging exorbitantfees from COVID-19 patients and said such exploitation was a violation of human rights.