83 cremated, 13 buried in Cachar: “Stigma has eroded,” Dr. Gunajit Das; “Team disposing bodies are frontline warriors,” JR Lalsim

Last year, a Hailakandi resident became the first victim of Covid 19 in the state. He was admitted to the Silchar Medical College and Hospital. Who will bury, where to bury and how to bury these questions had very few answers. Keerthi Jalli, now the deputy commissioner of Cachar was then head of administration in Hailakandi. The person died in Silchar Medical College and Hospital and there was very little awareness about the process of disposing of dead bodies. The same happened when the first Hindu patient died at the hospital. The district administration took the body to Cachar – Dima Hasao border, far away in a jungle, and cremated the person. But as more people lost their lives, and the dead bodies started piling up, the administration was forced to look at local alternatives.

Cut to the second wave of the outbreak that according to the Cachar district administration, is from April 1. More than 100 patients have already died at the COVID ward of Silchar Medical College and Hospital. Dr. Gunajit Das, Professor and Head of the Department, Forensic Medicine, Silchar Medical College and Hospital, says, as of now, dead bodies are not pilling up in the morgue. SMCH has a new morgue and it has the capacity of storing eight COVID bodies and six non-COVID bodies.

Once a patient is declared dead in SMCH, the body gets packed by the ward boys. Patients on condition of anonymity said that the bodies, at times are kept on stretchers in and around the COVID wards. But the SMCH has made it clear that it has a serious shortage of ward boys and grade IV staff delaying the process of packing and transferring. Also, it takes 30-45 minutes to pack one dead body. However, once the body is packed, the Department of Forensic Medicine is informed and they prompt the same to the District Administration which has a team of tele-callers and data entry operators. “Once we inform the district administration they immediately come and receive the bodies disposing them off meticulously. There is no problem in storing the bodies at the morgue. We have separated sections for Covid and Non-Covid dead bodies. Separate staff is deployed for handling covid bodies and Non-Covid bodies. Usually, bodies are disposed off then and there by the administration and not stored,” informs, Dr. Das.

“Last year there was a lack of information and awareness among the public. But this year people are aware and the stigma has eroded from the minds of general public. Now, acceptance is there regarding dead bodies and disposal has become very easy at the moment. Everybody will have a fear for the disease but a feeling of understanding and compassion has dawned on the public,” Dr. Das added.

The administration has two teams on the ground each consisting of four men. One team is engaged in cremation whereas the other team is kept on standby for an emergency. The administration also seeks the help of ‘Aapada Mitra’ whenever needed. ‘Aapada Mitra’ are a group of volunteers who are trained for disaster response under the National Disaster Management Authority funded Scheme.

“In this second wave’s review meeting chaired by Honourable Minister Parimal Suklabaidya in presence of all Honourable MLAs of Cachar district it was resolved to declare all cremation ground and burial grounds open for Covid positive cremation and burial,” informs DDC in charge, Jessica Rose Lalsim. This means, not all bodies need to be cremated or buried at one designated crematorium or graveyard. The deceased is cremated in their respective revenue circles sharing the load.

Last year, family members of the deceased were hesitant in receiving the bodies, and in most cases, they weren’t allowed citing protocols. The regulations have been reformed this time. “Many families received dead bodies of their family members. DDMA arranged vehicle PPE Kits etc. and facilitated burial/cremation,” informs Lalsim. The rule now is that the family members can cremate the deceased but the body-pack cannot be opened. “Sometimes in some places public opposed such cremation, circle officers and police team got into action to ensure peaceful cremation,” added Lalsim.

Till Friday (May 28), a total of 83 bodies have been cremated in various parts of Cachar and 13 were buried. Patients are not only dying in Silchar Medical College and Hospital. There are cases of Covid positive patients dying during home isolation too. “When a Covid patient died on home isolation on receipt of the information we send our dead body carrying vehicle with a team dressed in PPE kits. We collect the body and cremate/bury in the nearest crematorium /graveyard,” informs Lalsim.

In Silchar Crematorium, there are two pyres dedicated for the cremation of individuals who died after testing positive for COVID19. Lalsim informs that the cremation starts only after 6:00 pm and each night four bodies are cremated at the Silchar crematorium in Samshan Road, Ambicapatty. “We sanitise the crematorium after cremating bodies,” adds Lalsim.

She says the people on the ground cremating bodies are doing the most difficult but noble task. “They are one of the frontline Corona warriors. I thank them and their family members for helping the district administration in this time of crisis. God bless them with good health to be able to continue helping people,” says Lalsim.

It is worth mentioning here that last year, Professor and Head, Department of Forensic Medicine, Silchar Medical College and Hospital, Dr. Gunajit Das spoke about the guidelines issued by Govt of India on March 15 and the SoP by Govt of Assam on April 7, 2021, as to the disposal of the dead body of a COVID victim.

He informed that after the death of a COVID patient, the body is properly disinfected with 1% sodium hypochlorite and all-natural orifices, as well as punctured areas, are closed with cotton plugs. Then the body is packed in a leak-proof zipped body bag and after that again disinfected with hypochlorite solution and allowed to act for a minimum of 30 minutes. Thereafter the body is again packed and tied in another polythene sheet of 150-micron thickness and the exterior is again disinfected with hypochlorite solution. “Once packed in this manner as prescribed in the guidelines already issued by Central as well as the State Governments, the chances of infection from the body to others almost becomes nil,” Dr. Gunajit Das said while appealing to the general public to allow cremation in crematories across Barak Valley.