Residents of Shivaji Park, Dadar protest silently over cremating large number of bodies at nearby crematorium

Residents of Shivaji Park, Dadar claim that due to two government hospitals nearby on day 20-25 bodies are cremated of COVID-19 cases, giving rise to continuous smoke which is affecting their health.

Mumbai: On Monday the residents of Dadar Shivaji Park silently protested over the cremation of COVI-19 affected bodies at the crematorium of Shivaji Park. The residents have been continuously staging a protest silently from more than a month over the large numbers of bodies of COVID-19 affected being cremated at Shivaji Park crematorium in Dadar.

The residents of Shivaji Park got support from Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) party in this silent protest which has lodged a complaint with the assistant municipal commissioner of G-North and highlighted the issues faced by residents of Shivaji Park for more than four months.

Shrikant Bhoite, a MNS party worker said, “When there are crematoriums available in each ward, why is the BMC over loading this Shivaji Park crematorium with COVID-19 dead bodies. The residents have recently developed skin diseases and asthmatic issues however no one paid heed to them, thus the MNS supported their silent protest.”

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Around 20 to 25 bodies are cremated every day at the Shivaji Park crematorium. Shivaji Park is in G-North ward that also includes Dadar, Dharavi and Mahim areas of the city. In fact, the two big hospitals presently treating COVID-19 patients are Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General Hospital at Sion and King Edward Memorial (KEM) Hospital in Parel are sending dead bodies to only Shivaji Park crematorium, told residents.

Sushil Kadge a resident of Repulse building opposite to crematorium of Shivaji Park claims that the ashes of dead bodies accumulate on the terrace and it is affecting the health of residents. The thick smoke is affecting many residents of Shivaji Park.

 “In a day about 20-25 bodies are cremated at Shivaji Park. Our protests are on why only crematoriums at Shivaji Park are overloaded. There are other crematoriums nearby the big hospitals which are treating COVID-19 patients. The ambulances carrying dead bodies from KEM and Sion hospitals bring 4-5 bodies in one trip. Looking at the frequency of cremation the BMC should be doing regular sanitation but they do not do it. The hand gloves used by BMC staff and relatives are thrown on the road itself. There is no dustbin in the crematorium to throw the hand gloves and masks, people throw them here and there which are hazardous for health,” Kadge said.