Praveen Kumar, 43 years old, was an employee of Hisar Municipal Corporation. He ensured to perform the last rites for over 300 COVID-19 victims and give them a dignified funeral.
But, sadly, on Monday night, barely two days after testing COVID positive, he succumbed to the disease.
Praveen Kumar And His Saddening COVID Battle
Praveen Kumar was the head of the civic team formed by the municipal corporation to cremate the bodies of coronavirus patients. He was cremated by his team at Rishi Nagar crematorium, maintaining the COVID-19 guidelines.
Hisar Mayor Gautam Sardana and Municipal Corporation Commissioner Ashok Kumar Garg and other senior officials were present to commemorate his death.
Sunil Bainiwal, Hisar MC spokesperson, said, “He had cremated over 300 bodies of COVID-positive patients since last year. He tested positive two days ago and was admitted to a private hospital, where his oxygen level kept dipping due to which he died.”
Mayor Gautam Sardana added that Praveen was his childhood friend and further said that he had lost a close friend. Haryana Sarv Karamchari Sangh, district leader Surender Mann, said besides being the leader of the employees, Kumar was a true corona warrior.
The true condition of India’s health infrastructure comes to light through this disheartening news. A person who was so dedicated to making sure that the COVID-19 victims at least got a respectful funeral succumbed to death because his family could not manage a hospital bed for at least three hours His oxygen level further dropped to 40.
The Hisar administration could not even arrange a bed for Kumar, whose condition deteriorated instantly.
Kumar’s Honour In Death But Is That Enough?
There is also a growing demand that Kumar must be honored by the district administration by naming one of the municipal wings after him.
His supporters also demanded that Kumar be given a martyr’s status and one of his family should be given a government job and other necessary help.
Read More: How Delhi NCC Cadets Are Playing A Major Role In Fighting Coronavirus
I do not disagree with his supporters, he indeed was a martyr in the truest sense. However, I would like to ask the readers, is this enough?
He deserved medical attention on time, and a shot at life, and so does everyone else in the country. How many lives are we willing to sacrifice because of the government’s ineptness?
He cremated more than 300 COVID-19 victims by risking his own life and his family’s every day simply out of good faith, but all he got, in the end, was death.
How COVID Has Disrobed The Guise Of The State Of Health Infrastructure In The Country?
COVID -19 cases in India are at a surge as we speak. The Indian government has been unable to provide its people with two mere doses of vaccines. The government was not uninformed, but they sure acted like the second wave was an unanticipated surprise.
Instead of building mandirs, they might want to look into the PM funds and give us the health care we need.
Daily case numbers have exploded since early March- the government reported 273,810 new infections nationally on 18 April. But is this the truth?
Can we believe that the government is not lying just like it lies and hides everything?
I cannot answer these but I can only voice your questions. The questions that each and everyone is thinking to themselves but is appalled to ask.
Indians Should Demand What India Truly Deserves
Instead of demanding a wing of the municipality named after him, I would like to request Indians to wake up and demand basic health amenities which is their right as citizens.
India is failing to provide its people with basic health amenities during the pandemic but what we can least expect is for the government to provide better facilities for the dead so they can attain proper last rites.
And this goes without letting out that it’s high time for the government to provide better amenities and facilities to the cremators who are the real heroes risking their lives every day for hours and hours attending to the dead, ensuring they at least get peace in death which they did not as a citizen of India.
Image Credits: Google Images
Sources: The Hindustan Time, TOI, The Hindu
Connect with the blogger: @GhoshSohinee
This post is tagged under: municipality, basic health amenities, government, facilities to the cremators, Covid-19 cases, administration, Hisar Municipal Corporation, 300 covid patients died, Mayor Gautam Sardana, India’s health infrastructure, corona, 300 covid victims, Rishi Nagar crematorium, maintaining the COVID-19 guideline, citizen of India, last rites, funeral, real heroes risking their lives, modi
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