Ghazipur administration offers financial aid to kin unable to bear cremation cost

Ghazipur (Uttar Pradesh) [India], May 15 (ANI): Days after reports of bodies of suspected COVID-19 patients found floating in the river Ganga in Uttar Pradesh's Ghazipur surfaced, the district administration has decided to provide a financial help of Rs 5,000 to those unable to bear cremation expenses and appealed public to refrain from water burial.

"If any person is unable to bear expenses of cremation of the body of their relative or family member and goes to any crematorium, we will provide them with Rs 5,000 immediately and bear all expenses of cremation," Ghazipur DM MP Singh said.

"Ghazipur administration has capped price of firewood at Rs 650/quintal. 'Dom raja' would not take more than Rs 500 for cremating a body. We are setting up a control room at each crematorium where police personnel and lekhpal would be stationed," Singh added.

The police, on Friday, made announcement urging people not to perform water burial of bodies into Ganga river, but to cremate them.

"If any person is unable to bear expenses of cremation, please inform us. We will make the arrangements," the police said.

Earlier on Monday, dozens of corpses was spotted in the Ganga in Bihar's Buxar creating panic among people. Following this, several dead bodies were seen buried under sand in UP's Unnao. (ANI)