new Delhi. 'Mohammad Shamim digs the graves of the people.' This sentence sounds very cruel, but this is the reality of Shamim's life. A reality that has been made even more brutal by the Corona epidemic. At a time when people are also afraid to touch the dead bodies of relatives who died from Corona, Shamim has been continuously burying these dead bodies for the last two and a half months.
Shamim works as a gravedigger in Delhi's Jadid graveyard Ahle Islam. It is the same cemetery located near ITO, where most people who died of corona infection are buried.
Shamim says, "Initially we also refused to bury those who died from Corona here. We also feared infection. But then the doctors explained to us and the members of the cemetery also thought that if no one was ready to bury these people, what would happen to such people? If someone had to take this responsibility, then we agreed.
Mohammed Shamim is the one who took the responsibility of burying the dead bodies of those who died of corona in Delhi. He started this work two days after the lockdown and has buried more than 300 dead bodies.
Jadid cemetery Ahle Islam is spread over 45 acres. Of this, about five bighas of land have been separated from deaths due to corona infection. Shamim explains, "So far, 75 percent of these five bigha land has been filled. The speed at which people are dying, within a week the rest of the place will also be filled. Then the cemetery committee might have to give more land for corona corpses. For this, the land will have to be prepared by cutting many trees again. This five bigha land was also prepared by cutting the forest. '
Shamim explains that with the opening of the lockdown, there has been a sudden increase in the number of people who died from Corona. According to him, where five-six bodies were reaching this cemetery during the lockdown in a day, with the opening of the lockdown, 12 to 15 bodies have started coming daily. Not only this, the bodies of people who have died due to other reasons have also started coming up more these days.
Shamim says, "Due to Corona's debate, such deaths are unnoticed, but they have also increased a lot." On average, 6-7 dead bodies used to come here, but these days 10-12 dead bodies are coming apart from the corona. The reason for this is probably that due to the Corona epidemic people are not getting good treatment for other serious diseases as well. '
Residents of Old Delhi are usually buried in this cemetery. But in the era of the corona epidemic, bodies are being brought here from many different parts of Delhi. Among them, many bodies are being brought here four-five days after the death. This delay is waiting for the report of the Corona investigation.
These days, all those who die in hospitals are being corona examined. Reports of this investigation are being received several times after four to five days. In such a situation, the hospital administration is giving two options to the relatives of the deceased. First, they wait for the report and take the body only after the report arrives. Secondly, they should take the body as a 'corona suspect' and be cremated under the supervision of the hospital administration just like a corona infection. To avoid this second option, many people are waiting for the report and in such a situation the bodies are reaching the cemetery after five-five days.
Mohammad Shamim says, "Yesterday there came a dead body which was five days old. The body smelled so much that it was becoming difficult to stand near him. Still, we buried that mayyat. We will do it, this is our job They have been doing this work for three generations. But the sad thing is that in this we are not getting any support from the government. We are doing this work these days putting our lives at risk but there is no one to take care of us.
Mohammed Shamim has been working for the last two and a half months to bury those who died from Corona. During this time he has not got a single day off. They say, "Except Saturday-Sunday, I have buried three dead bodies on Eid." During this time no one else is willing to do this work, so I have to do this continuously. But, even after taking so much risk, neither we have any health insurance nor any life insurance. '
Shamim worries that if he gets himself infected while doing this work, who will bear the cost of his treatment and if he gets anything, then who will take responsibility for his four daughters who are still in school. He says, “I also got my corona test done by myself about 25 days ago. For this, he gave 4500 rupees from his pocket. From here I used to get only one hundred rupees for a corpse. It takes more than buying gloves, sanitizers, etc. If I put this in front of the committee, since May 25, I have started getting one thousand rupees a day. But out of this, I also have to pay money to two other people who work here with me. '
The work that Shamim is doing is not counted in the works of Corona Warrior anywhere. They say, "Flowers are being showered everywhere to those who work during this time." But no one can fulfill our basic needs by showering flowers on us. I have been working continuously this summer without taking a day off. There is no facility of drinking water inside this forest. '
Shamim is originally from Etah in Uttar Pradesh. Many years ago his grandfather came to Delhi and started working in this cemetery. Since then this has become his family work which Shamim has been doing since childhood. They tell that till now they have buried thousands of mayyats, but the speed with which they have to do these days is the first time. Also, this work has never been so risky for them even before today.
Shamim says, "Many people who come here tell me that I am doing very virtuous work. I also believe that this is a work of virtue. But, there must be someone who can assure me that if something happens to me by doing this virtue, then my treatment or my family will be taken care of.
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