Kukshi (Madhya Pradesh): Non availability of hearse at Kukshi civil hospital stormed into the news after villagers and a BJP leader arranged a private vehicle to take a body to Kukshi Civil Hospital for post-mortem.
In the latest incident, sarpanch of Udaygarh village Jalam Singh was heading towards Kukshi for some work in his vehicle. Sources claimed that he was commuting alone and passers-by found his body in his vehicle.
They informed BJP state secretary Jaydeep Patel. He who called up Civil Hospital administration demanding that a hearse van be provided to take body for post-mortem.
Patel was shocked to learn that the vehicle available in the hospital is not in a condition to commute. Patel then called chief block medical officer Dr Abhishek Rawat and got the same reply.
Patel eventually called Dhar collector Dr Pankaj Jain and arranged for a private vehicle from his own pocket.
Patel told that there has been a discussion with the collector and Dr Jain said that its responsibility of the urban body to arrange vehicle to transport a body and if it is so, then some arrangements are made soon.
This is not the first time when villagers witnessed such incident. Locals alleged that government and health department has been consistent in letting them down in the hour of health crisis. They said that in January, passersby helped kin after hearse ferrying bodies of two minors develops a snag.
Since, duo belonged to Badgaon village, about 60 kilometres from Kukshi tehsil headquarters, after post-mortem department provided them, a hearse anticipating that it could be a small help for bereaved families who has lost two of their sons in a road accident.
After moving 200 metres from Civil Hospital to bus stand, the vehicle developed a technical snag. The attempts made by the driver and helper to start the vehicle went in vain.
Family members of the deceased started pushing the vehicle hoping that it may help in starting it. But a group of onlookers pitched in and help them in pushing the vehicle. Their help in good faith proved fruitful- the vehicle started and the kin left for their home with the bodies of their loved ones.
When contacted CBMO Dr Rawat said that there is an old vehicle which often breaks down and money is often spent to repair the vehicle. We have written to the district officer to provide a new vehicle, he added.
In absence of hearse van here, people who lost their near-and-dear have to spend huge sum on the private vehicle to take mortal remains of their kin to their places.
