In Uttar Pradesh, due to being unable to cremate bodies due to lack of wood, people are throwing COVID-positive dead bodies in the Yamuna River which is going to lead to a major crisis very soon.
News portals report that in Kanpur and Hamirpur districts, the number of deaths is mounting and villagers have no means to perform last rites for everyone. One of the bodies was half-burned, while others were covered in shrouds.
Hamirpur’s additional superintendent of police Anup Kumar Singh confirmed the discovery of the bodies in the Yamuna.
Villagers along the Yamuna in Kanpur and Hamirpur districts consider the river auspicious and traditionally entrust their dead to the Yamuna. It is quite common to see bodies once in a while in the river however, seeing numerous bodies during the noxious second wave of coronavirus is disturbing.
Since the bodies of the COVID-19 virus would be highly infectious and at times like this, bodies are heavily sealed and cremated or buried with strict COVID rules, the dangerous manner is which the COVID positive bodies were thrown into the river will contaminate the river. People are going to be drinking the virus-laced water and there is going to be a major catastrophe in the area very soon.
Lack of education steeped in ignorance and superstition has led to this crisis. It is also evident that the COVID-related deaths are heavily underreported in Uttar Pradesh, which misled the common citizens thinking they were safe when they are actually in blinking red zones.