As report by Dainik Bhaskar states that out of the 45 acre Muslim graveyard space in Jadid Kabristan, about 5 bighas are kept for the dead bodies of coronavirus positive people. Of this space, about 75% is filled in last few weeks. Shamim, the person who handles burials of people in Jadid Kabristan told Bhaskar that the speed at which people are dying, the entire coronavirus-specific zone in the graveyard will be full in less than a week. “The Kabristan management will then have to allot more land for coronavirus positive dead bodies,” Shamim said.
The five bigha space was created after felling trees. Increase in land for burials of coronavirus positive dead bodies will mean more trees will be felled.
Shamim earns Rs 100 for every dead body buried. He was one of the first in Delhi to take responsibility of burying the dead bodies of coronavirus positive people. Since lockdown, he has buried over 300 bodies, reports Bhaskar. 25 days back he got himself tested for coronavirus at cost of Rs 4,500 from his own pockets. He informs that after the lockdown was lifted, there has been an exponential growth of number of dead bodies coming in for burials. During lockdown, about 5-6 dead bodies would come every day. However, after the lockdown has been lifted, this figure has gone up to 10-12, almost double. He said this could also be because of stressed healthcare where non-coronavirus patients are not getting sufficient treatment.
Most people from Old Delhi are buried in this graveyard. However, amid the coronavirus outbreak, bodies from all over Delhi are brought here for burial. Many of these are also brought for burial 4-5 days after their death.
Last week, Masroor Siddiqui, member of Kabristan committee in Delhi said how a graveyard in Daryaganj, which sees daily burial of about 10-12 dead bodies of coronavirus positive people may soon run out of space. About 300 bodies have been buried here since April and space for only 100-150 more dead bodies remains. The rate at which dead bodies are coming in for coronavirus positive people, the graveyard will run out of space for dead bodies by end of June.
Dead bodies of coronavirus positive people are being buried as per protocol in Delhi’s Mangolpuri, Dwarka, Khadar and Ghazipur as well. However, the number of dead bodies in Delhi Gate is much higher. About 299 bodies are buried here.
