SHILLONG/ NONGPOH: After denial in two places, the mortal remains of Dr John L Sailo Ryntathiang, who died of coronavirus, will be laid to rest at Riatsamthiah Presbyterian Church cemetery, Lawmali early on Thursday morning.
Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong said late on Wednesday night that preparation for the burial was on at the Riatsamthiah Presbyterian Church cemetery.
Earlier, residents of Jhalupara, Mawbah and Shillong Cantonment area residents and Dorbar Shnong of Nongpoh Proper denied permission for the funeral.
The initial plan was to cremate the body at the electric crematorium at Jhalupara.
A large number of residents came out in Jhalupara and Mawbah on Wednesday evening following reports that the remains of the COVID-19 patient were being taken to the electric crematorium there for the last rites.
Around 200-300 residents blocked the road leading to the crematorium while opposing the plan to conduct the last rites there fearing it could pose health hazard in the overcrowded localities.
Some residents said that a vehicle carrying the body entered the area where the crematorium is located, but later turned back.
As the situation was getting out of control, magistrates and police personnel were deployed in the area.
Later, elders of the locality and the village council had to appeal to the people to go back to their respective homes as they were taking up the matter.
When contacted, a functionary with the electric crematorium said that they cannot allow the body to be cremated without the approval of the nearby localities.
Regretting that the state government never approached them officially to cremate the body, he questioned as to how they can allow the cremation when the workers at the crematorium do not even have personal protective equipment. The operators later closed the crematorium.
In Ri Bhoi, the Dorbar Shnong of Nongpoh Proper, after a meeting held on Wednesday with the Seng Longkmie and Seng Samla, unanimously decided not to allow the burial of the first COVID-19 victim at his farm house in Nongpoh.
Dorbar leader, Silvester Mynsong, while defending the decision of the village, said that the local residents were panicky and that he had received several calls from the villagers requesting not to allow the burial at Nongpoh as they feared that the disease might spread in the area.
Mynsong informed that earlier in the morning, he had received a call from the son of Dr Sailo requesting him to allow them to bury his father at their farm house, as that was his wish.
“Since I could not take the decision alone, I called for a meeting of the Village Dorbar where leaders of the Seng Longkmie and Seng Samla of the village were also present and after a thorough discussion, a unanimous decision was taken not to allow the burial”, Mynsong said.
The decision of the village was immediately informed to the family members of Dr Sailo, who then requested the village leaders to allow them to only bury the ashes to which the village agreed.
Mynsong also informed that Dr Sailo, in the past, had met village leaders of Nongpoh and informed them of his wish to be buried at his farm house at Nongpoh.
The love of Dr Sailo for Ri Bhoi was evident as he set up the Bethany Hospital Outreach at Nongpoh to provide better healthcare facilities to the people of Nongpoh in particular and Ri Bhoi in general. As informed by a staff of the hospital, Dr Sailo was a gentleman with a generous heart and provided free healthcare to many poor families of the area from time to time besides employing many local youths in the hospital.
Mawryngkneng ready
However, the quaint village of Mawryngkneng offered to give its land for either burial or cremation of the deceased COVID-19 patient.
Speaking to The Shillong Times, the secretary of Mawryngkneng, Wanlambok Kharsati said that the executive committee of Mawryngkneng discussed the matter and decided to allow either burial or cremation.
“The deceased was someone who had contributed immensely. We cannot bear to see the current situation. So we offered to give our land. Any of the two places can be used, either burial ground or the cremation site”, he said.
Kharsati said the EC has intimated the matter to the BDO regarding the decision.
When asked whether there will be any opposition from the residents, he said that the people can have their opinion and added, “As leaders we have taken a decision to do so for a person who will be remembered for his contributions”.
