Opposing to Cremate COVID-19 Victim is Shameful – J R Lobo
Mangaluru: “The locals, as well as the people’s representative, opposed the cremation of the elderly woman who died of COVID-19 at the Wenlock Hospital, which is a shameful act. This incident has put the intellectuals to shame. When we call ourselves intellectuals, such an incident should not have happened in our district. It is unfortunate to learn that the MLA was also involved in opposing the cremation of the elderly woman at Pachanady”, said the former MLA of Mangaluru North Constituency J R Lobo in a press release on April 25.
In his statement, J R Lobo said, “On March 20, the World Health Organization (WHO) in its press release stated that the virus is not airborne and that the body can be buried or cremated. The WHO also release the guidelines to cremate or bury the body. It is the duty of the government, elected members and the district administration to create awareness among the people”.
J R Lobo also pointed out that the government has already framed guidelines for handling the bodies of the COVID-19 victims. Accordingly, the first victim of COVID-19 was cremated at Boloor. Why the district administration change the place from Boloor to Pachanady? Taking the body from one crematorium to another creates suspicion among the people.”
Lobo also stressed, “After the guidelines from WHO that the body can be cremated or buried adopting scientific methods, why is the district administration asking the locals or the peoples representatives? The district administration should have a firm stand and cremate the bodies at the same electric crematorium in Boloor. The peoples’ representatives have forgotten humanity and are playing politics over dead bodies. Instead of convincing the locals in the area and helping the district administration to take a right and firm decision, they have shown their true colour”.
