Bhubaneswar: Even as some families of COVID-19 victims hesitate to touch the bodies, the frontline workers of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation have set an example in performing their cremation with due honour amid adherence to the protocols.
According to official sources, the BMC workers have helped in the cremation of at least 161 bodies since the outbreak of the pandemic and the subsequent lockdown. The deceased included COVID-19 patients as well as non-COVID and suspected cases from the hospitals in the city and nearby areas besides other districts.
Since the families of many deceased persons were not able to receive the bodies or were reluctant to conduct the last rites, a designated team of BMC lead by BMC Deputy Commissioner Srimanta Mishra conducted the funerals, the sources said.
As per the state government guidelines, the funerals were performed free of cost and in consultation with the family members of the deceased persons.