Unable to bear cremation expenses for the dead? Please call UP Police

New Delhi: With several reports mentioning dead bodies of suspected COVID-19 victims washing up ashore in the states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, the police in UP has now come up with a unique method of raising awareness to discourage people from dumping bodies in the water.

The police is making announcement asking people to cremate their dead. "Please do not perform water burial of bodies into Ganga river, but cremate them. If any person is unable to bear expenses of cremation, please inform us. We will make arrangements," ANI quoted them as saying in a report.

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#WATCH | Ghazipur: A police official makes announcement -- "Please do not perform water burial of bodies into Ganga river, but cremate them. If any person is unable to bear expenses of cremation, please inform us. We will make arrangements." pic.twitter.com/cfdQrg7CTo — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) May 14, 2021

Giving more information, the Ghazipur District Magistrate MP Singh said the price of firewood will be capped and a control room will be set up at crematoriums.

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

Further, if any person is unable to bear the expenses of cremation they will be provided with a sum of Rs 5000 immediately to bear all expenses of the cremation. 

Menawhile, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday (May 14) ordered patrolling by the Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC). He said "All those who died deserve cremation with respect. The state government has already sanctioned funds for performing the last rites."

The order comes after hundreds of floating corpses were spotted in Ganga in Ghazipur.

The UP government has been under fire from the opposition leaders over the issue with Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra demanding a judicial probe headed by High Court judge. Former CM Akhilesh Yadav said the state government must be held accountable for failing its people.