NT Reporter
Margao
The Margao Municipal Council (MMC) on Tuesday agreed to dispose of 20 unclaimed corpses out of 21 preserved for nearly two months at the South Goa District Hospital after taking cognisance of a report published in The Navhind Times
on March 31.
The report had pointed out that MMC had occupied most of the mortuary space by preserving unclaimed bodies and delayed their disposal due to lack of funds. As of March 30, 62 of the 72 cabinets available were occupied by unclaimed corpses.
The municipality had said that over Rs 15 lakh in pending reimbursements from the South Goa Collector had not been paid, affecting its ability to proceed.
“We have decided to dispose of 10 unclaimed bodies on Wednesday. Therefore, I wrote to the in-charge of the Mathgramastha Hindu Sabha to make necessary arrangements for disposing of these bodies. MMC workers will carry these cadavers for final rites,” Chief Officer Madhu Narvekar said.
He said that another 10 corpses would be disposed of on Thursday “so as to make space in the mortuary of the district hospital”.
Earlier, Associate Professor of Forensic Medicine at Goa Medical College, Dr Madhu Ghodkirekar, had written to the South Goa Collector and Superintendent of Police through the Medical Superintendent of Hospicio Hospital, raising concerns over the “houseful” condition of the mortuary and lack of space to handle emergencies.
“Due to non-cremation of unidentified bodies by Margao Municipal Council (MMC) for more than one month, with the excuse that they are not being provided the required funds from the office of the South Goa Collector, there are no spaces available to preserve fresh cadavers at the South Goa District Hospital morgue,” he had said.
He also said the demand for preserving corpses increases during Holy Week, when churches do not conduct funerals from Maundy Thursday till Easter Sunday, and that nearly 15 cabinets are usually required.
