Jalpaiguri, 10th May: The residents of the Jalpaiguri Maskalaibari crematorium area staged a protest over the cremation of COVID positive bodies.
It has been learned that the municipality was scheduled to hold a meeting with the residents on the issue today. As the members of the municipality did not attend the meeting, the residents started protesting by blocking the Jalpaiguri-Siliguri state highway.
The locals said that most of the women in the area work as domestic helpers. They have been fired from work as they reside near the crematorium area and are now living in a severe financial crisis. They demanded to immediately stop cremating infected bodies in the crematorium.
Upon receiving the news of protest, a large police force of Kotwali police station and members of the administrative board of the municipality reached the spot.
Saikat Chatterjee, member of the BoA of Jalpaiguri Municipality, said that COVID-19 bodies are being cremated in the ghat as per the instructions of the administration in compliance with all government rules.
“Even after the area is being sanitized regularly, people are not ready to understand. The problem will be solved after holding discussions,” he added.