As performing the last rites of coronavirus patient had become a tricky issue and new challenge for district administration, the Ranchi administration has given the option of three to four cemeteries to Anjuman Islamia where the corpse of corona victims can be buried.
The Anjuman Islamia after consultation with members of community and residents nearby the cemetery is to give the name of graveyard where the dead bodies of corona patient can be buried. The decision in this connection was taken after last Sunday incident where locals of two areas prevented the district administration from disposing the body of Covid-19 patient at their burial grounds. Residents of Ratu Road and Joda Talab area protested after they came to know that Ranchi district administration was to bury the dead body of an elderly corona positive man from Hindpiri area.
State Parliamentary Affairs Minister Alamgir Alam said, “The State Government after the incident had a meeting with religious leaders of both the communities and the administration has given the three/ four options for burying and cremating the dead bodies. The religious leaders have identified the burial ground.”
Echoing the views of minister, Ranchi SDM Lokesh Mishra said that the religious leaders have to indentify the burial ground after having consultation with local residents too as on previous occasion we have seen that at Kabristan it was local resident who protested against burying the dead body at graveyard.
Last Sunday, throwing the social distance advisory in wind, at least 200 people gathered and protested outside the cemetery against the Ranchi district administration's decision to bury the body in the graveyard as they feared that burying corona patient can lead to spread of infection. They also demanded that the corpse be buried somewhere else.
Meanwhile, in other development Minister Alamgir Alam had meeting with group of ministers constituted by Chief Minister Hemant Soren and decision on creating employment opportunities at rural areas after April 20 was taken. As Union Government is to give some relaxation after April 20 in the areas considered as green zone (The districts with no coronavirus positive cases falls under the green zone). Agriculture activities along with MNREGA work will start in rural areas so that poor gets employment opportunities.
The country has been divided into red, orange and green coronavirus colour zones depending on the number of positive cases in the extended lockdown period.
The minister said that apart from this union surface transport and highway minister Nitin Gadkari has also issued some guidelines about activities that can start in rural area in green and orange zone during lockdown period.