Telangana govt’s efforts ensure dignity in the hour of grief

Govt's efforts ensure peaceful final journey for 58,221 persons on the State's free hearse vehicle services

Hyderabad: Dignity even after death, a concept that is struggling to find a place in many States, as the recent Nellore incident shows, is however, something that Telangana has been making efforts to ensure for the last six years.

While instances of relatives forced to carry bodies of their dear ones on cycles, bikes and even physically, like a man in Andhra Pradesh carrying his son after ambulances refused him transportation, are frequent in many States, Telangana has seen very few such incidents, thanks to the government’s efforts to provide a dignified last journey.

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The efforts have seen a peaceful final journey for 58,221 persons on the State’s free hearse vehicle services. Launched in 2016, the free hearse vehicle initiative is part of the State government’s plan to develop a supportive ecosystem for families of the deceased, so that they can conduct the last rites with dignity and also protect the rights of the dead.

There are 50 hearse vehicles stationed at teaching hospitals in Hyderabad including Gandhi Hospital, Osmania General Hospital, Nallakunta Fever Hospital and NIMS and in government general hospitals in Suryapet, Nalgonda, Siddipet and Gajwel, offering free last journey for the deceased to their villages.

A majority of relatives at teaching hospitals in Hyderabad, after losing their loved ones, tend to struggle to take the bodies back to their native places. Typically, depending on the distance, private ambulance services charge anywhere between Rs 10,000 and Rs 15,000 and sometimes, even more.

Till March this year, the hearse vehicles have managed to transport 58,221 bodies free of cost. Recently, the State government launched five more such vehicles at Osmania General Hospital.

Efforts are on to add 16 such hearse vehicles to the existing fleet. Health Minister T Harish Rao recently launched 13 hearse vehicles at Fever Hospital too. As part of developing a support system for poor families who struggle to perform last rites in a dignified manner, apart from hearse vehicles, the Telangana government is also making efforts to upgrade 61 government mortuaries at a cost of Rs 32.54 crore.

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