Workers at crematoriums demand a break

They have submitted a letter to Chief Justice on their plight

Workers at electric crematoria, who have been taking care of the dead without any break have threatened to stop working unless conditions improve. They submitted a petition to the Chief Justice of the High Court of Karnataka on Wednesday seeking his intervention. “Staff have been working round-the-clock and are exhausted. Amidst this, people accuse them of corruption, which is making the situation worse,” said A. Suresh, State general secretary of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Dalitha Sangharsha Samithi who submitted the petition. Workers have demand two shifts. Mr. Suresh cited the example of Sumanahalli electric crematorium, which he said received as many as 49 bodies since Wednesday. “It takes at least one hour to cremate a body followed by cleaning the premises for the next body. Workers are exhausted because of the heat, and at least two have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last two days. The sad part is that one of them needed immediate hospitalisation, but could not get a bed in the city. He had to be taken to Kolar,” Mr. Suresh told The Hindu.