KAKINADA: As Covid-19 deaths are increasing, many cremation grounds are facing a great pressure as the facilities there are very poor and badly maintained. However, Anaparti village in East Godavari district, having more than 30,000 population, is an exception.
The small village boasts of a modal, hi-tech cremation ground with lockers, CCTV cameras, well-maintained water supply and other amenities. The relatives of the dead, who could not attend the last rites, can watch the cremation in peace and with ease as it can be webcast.
According to sources, some years ago, the cremation ground was in a horrible shape and it was an ordeal to cremate the dead. However, a person by name Tetali Narayana Reddy, who was horrified by the state of affairs, made a resolve to improve the cremation ground. He visited many cremation grounds such as those in Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Rajamahendravaram, and Nidadavole and took up a modern cremation ground.
He began his work under the banner of Tetali Ramireddy Mangayamma Trust and gathered donations of Rs 35 lakh to build the cremation ground. There are five pyres, including one exclusively for Brahmins, a hall with a capacity of 250 persons, toilets, two water tanks, two bore wells, two freezer boxes, 80 lockers and also CCTV system. They also installed Lord Shiva idol.
“We want to increase the pyres to nine and are charging only Rs 5,500 per body. If the relatives of the deceased belong are poor, we will not collect any charges,” said Ramireddy. Previously, people used to walk for 3 km to the reach burial ground. Now, two ambulances are being run to help them. A timber depot with a capacity of 10 tonnes was also set up in the ground, said Narayana Reddy. He said 30 bodies can be cremated within 10 to 12 hours of duration and 14 bodies were provided last rites in one day, the highest so far.
Till the four days ago, people from nearly 40 villages used to make use of burial ground. But, the people of the village expressed their displeasure due to the smoke emanating throughout the day. Now, the burial ground use is limited to only Anaparti and Polavaramu villages.