Crematoriums Work Under Intense Pressure In Varanasi, Bhopal, Indore Amid Covid

Long queues of family members waiting their turn to cremate the bodies of their loved ones can be seen outside crematoriums in several cities.

The increasing number of Covid-related deaths is putting intense pressure on crematoriums in several parts of the country. Long queues of family members waiting their turn to cremate the bodies of their loved ones can be seen outside crematoriums in several cities. Unable to cope with the flood of bodies triggered by the second wave of infections, many funeral grounds are now planning expansions. Varanasi's Ravindra Giri had to wait five hours at Harishchandra Ghat on Friday before he could cremate his relative. "We have never seen such a sight ...we are not even getting wood (for pyre) properly. We finally had to use unfit wood to burn (the body)...had to wait for 4 to 5 hours. We had to beg for our turn," he told NDTV. The funeral ground in Varanasi, one of the worst-hit cities in Uttar Pradesh, does not witness these many cremations as Mankarnika Ghat is the main funeral ground. However, the administration has declared Harishchandra Ghat the dedicated site for the cremation of Covid victims."I am 48-year-old. I have never seen such a scene in my life. 15-20 bodies are queued up, while another 20-22 bodies are already burning. 10-15 bodies are in queue at the electric crematorium," a relative told NDTV.