SHILLONG, June 17: The employees of the Shillong Municipal Board (SMB) and volunteers of the Civil Defence and Home Guards (CD&HG) have been the unsung heroes of the pandemic.
The SMB and CD&HG members are part of the COVID-19 Death Management Team (CDMT) in Shillong, undertaking risks to cremate or inter the bodies of the victims of the novel coronavirus.
The 40 employees divided into four teams have so far handled more than 450 bodies since the virus hit Meghalaya in 2020, ensuring their last rites honourably.
Assistant Manager of SMB’s Solid Waste Management, Maskal Lyngdoh recalled handling the body of John L. Sailo Ryntathing, the first victim of the virus in the state last year.
“We took over Dr Sailo’s body for burial after it was brought to Lawmali in an ambulance. We were initially not familiar with the guidelines of the Health Department for handling such bodies,” he said.
“The staffs were hesitant at the beginning since we had not received any training. We got used to the situation gradually,” Lyngdoh, also the CDMT supervisor said.
He said his team handled the COVID-19 bodies and excavators were used only to help dig the graves. “We help pack a body in the hospital morgue as well as those do die at home from the COVID-19 infection,” he said, adding the members of the teams never let their guards down at any point in time.
Lyngdoh said they sanitise their hands at each and every step after putting a body in a coffin and after cremation.
“We never remove the mask and gloves. We remove the PPEs after we reach a designated place at Polo to sanitised our whole body. The last things we remove are the gloves and the mask,” the CDMT supervisor said.
Lyngdoh said they have been assigned a room at Grace Hotel where they take bath and change their clothes before going home.
“Even at home, we take bath and wash our hands with soap. We also remove our clothes outside. None of us has tested positive so far, possibly because of the safety measures we undertake,” he said.
The Community Coordinator of SIPMIU, Wompher Shadap said they initially had two teams. Two more were formed comprising volunteers of the CD&HG on May 18 after a surge in the COVID-19 deaths.
“The SMB CEO ensured that all the 40 members get themselves vaccinated since were handling COVID-19 bodies. About 50 per cent of the members have got both doses,” he said.
Shadap, on deputation to SMB as the supervisor of CDMT, said the team members have been going for a test every 10 days. Some of the members are daily wagers earning up to Rs 7,000 a month.
“They were doing odd jobs before the pandemic. They are now totally dependent on the wages they received from the SMB,” he said, adding that the CDMT has been very well organised.
“We have tried to manage the timing for the last rites of a dead body. We do not want to hurt the family members by failing to reach on time,” Shadap said.
The SMB and CD&HG teams had taken care of 21 bodies on May 18. They had to work overtime as only two teams were available.
“Seven bodies were buried at Lawmali alone without any hiccups. This was possible since we had been able to manage the timing. Taking into account that Shillong has a population of 7 lakh, the number of bodies we are handling would be the same as in Delhi, where people have to queue up for the last rites,” Shadap said.
He is attached to his three-year-old daughter.
“We have been trained to take special precautions. Therefore, I am still sleeping with my daughter. I immediately isolate myself if I feel any problem in my body. My wife has been tested a few times and till now the result is negative,” Shadap said.
He said the SMB heads have taught them to respect the sentiments of the families who their near and dear ones to COVID-19 and consider them as their own. “This has really helped in connecting with the bereaved family members,” Shadap said.
He admitted the people were initially apprehensive because of a negative perception of SMB.
“There was a huge resistance in the Smit area. But after seeing how we handle the bodies, everyone wants us to take the responsibility and even applaud our services,” the CDMT supervisor said.
