Kesinga: Prompt intervention by the Kesinga block development officer (BDO) helped a family in cremating their loved one who breathed his last due to Covid-19. Prior to the BDO’s action, local villagers had refused to help the family of the deceased. This is the second such case in Kalahandi district when a BDO had to help out a deceased’s family.
According to a source, Indramani Pattanayak, a resident of Kokodmal village of Utkela panchayat under Kesinga block in Kalahandi district, had tested positive for Covid-19 and was under home isolation. He breathed his last Sunday.
However, none of the villagers came forward to help the bereaved family and carry the bier to the village cremation ground. So the deceased’s son contacted BDO Prafulla Kumar Adu, seeking his help.
The officer then contacted Manoj Kumar Pattanayak, the chief of Swarga Dwar Sangathan (SDS). This social organisation was formed during this second wave of Covid-19 to cremate the bodies, deserted by their family members.
In presence of Adu, additional tehsildar Rudra Mohan Nayak and cops of Sadar police station, the members SDS, wearing PPE kits provided by the administration, performed the last rites of the deceased. The officials praised the members of SDS for going out of their way to give abandoned bodies a decent funeral in these trying times.
PNN