CANACONA
Barely days after relatives of a resident of Bastora in Bardez, who died of Covid complications, were disallowed from conducting the last rites in the village crematorium, a similar controversy erupted over cremation of a Covid victim in Shristhal-Canacona.
According to sources, a senior citizen has tested Covid positive and was undergoing home isolation in Shristhal village, when he passed away on Friday.
The family then decided to conduct the cremation on Friday itself and former sarpanch Prashant Dessai, who himself along with PPE-clad volunteers, took the body amid full Covid protocol to the lone crematorium in the village.
However, some people objected and did not allow the cremation on grounds that final rites of bodies of Covid victims are not allowed in the crematorium.
An argument then broke out as some locals claimed that the crematorium was meant for residents of the locality and it was their discretion to allow or disallow the final rites of a Covid-infected deceased.
They then forced the body to be taken out of the crematorium.
According to sources, the lone crematorium has been built by Shristhal village panchayat using government funds in the land provided by Shri Mallikarjun Devalaya for the benefit of the villagers.
When efforts by Devasthan committee members and even the Shristhal panchayat failed to persuade the objecting locals, the matter was brought to the attention of the Canacona deputy collector.
Instructions were then issued to the Shristhal panchayat secretary to break open the crematorium lock and to allow the cremation.
Fearing further tension, the family members decided not to conduct the final rites at the Shristhal crematorium and instead, had sought to use the Poinguinim crematorium for the final rites.
However, attempts to carry out the final rites at the Poinguinim crematorium also failed as the crematorium was busy with at least four other cremations scheduled for the day.
Canacona BJP Mandal President Nandip Bhagat said the body will be cremated at Poinguinim crematorium on Saturday.
Canacona Mamlatdar Vimod Dalal confirmed that the final rites would take place at the Poinguinim crematorium at 11 am on Saturday.
Meanwhile, concerns are being raised over people objecting to the final rites of Covid deceased. Many have claimed that such unwarranted objections could lead to similar objections in other parts of the taluka and have sought the government’s intervention in the matter.
