JAMMU Panic prevails among the Muslims and Christians communities after the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai has ordered that the dead bodies of all coronavirus victims must be cremated irrespective of their religion. In a circular issued on Monday, the BMC commissioner, Praveen Pardeshi, 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. The order caused panic among the Muslims and Christians as instead of cremation, they bury the dead bodies in graveyards. However, later the order was revised allowing very limited burial with not more than 5 people permitted to attend the funeral. The civic chief had barred any such burials in Mumbai limits, but after the intervention of the state government, the previous order was withdrawn and a revised order was issued.—KMS
