After firewood, North MCD asks city govt for hearses and ambulances

New Delhi: Just one day after North Delhi Municipal Corporation wrote to the Chief Minister to increase the supply of firewood to COVID-19 crematoriums, the North Delhi civic body has once again sent in a request for 100 ambulances and hearse carts for transporting an ever growing number of patients and dead bodies.

On Wednesday, North MCD Mayor Jai Prakash wrote to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, asking him to provide at least 100 ambulances for transporting patients to available healthcare facilities and 100 hearses to transport "unfortunate" dead bodies to crematoriums, cremation and/or burial grounds for last rites. "Due to an increase in the number of casualties because of COVID-19, the situation is getting worse day-by-day. Moreover there is hardly any facility available for deaths occurring at home", the letter says.

North DMC had cremation capacity for 230 persons till April 15, but within 10-12 days the total capacity was increased to 570 persons. Three new cremation grounds have also been developed. Out of total 5,70,304 wooden and 54 CNG pyres are fixed for COVID-19 deaths.

On Tuesday, the BJP-ruled civic body's Mayor had written to the Delhi Government saying "The number of deaths due to COVID-19 are on the rise and to cremate the bodies in a traditional manner large amounts of wood is

required. The forest department (must) be directed to provide woods for final rites as number has increased to much extent. Hence,we must be prepared for any eventuality beforehand.".

Speaking to Millennium Post, South MCD Mayor Anamika Mithilesh Singh said, "South MCD has not made any such demands. We have enough firewood, about 10,000 quintal for cremations, so we don't have a shortage. To cremate one dead body, one needs about 4 quintal wood and we are receiving approximately 300 dead bodies a day". Likewise, we have a sufficient number of ambulance and hearse carts, she added.