Valley
TUTH to bury unclaimed bodies of quake victims
The Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital is preparing for a mass burial of 33 bodies of earthquake victims that remain unclaimed in its morgue for the past 10 months after the Home Ministry provided funds for the purpose.The Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital is preparing for a mass burial of 33 bodies of earthquake victims that remain unclaimed in its morgue for the past 10 months after the Home Ministry provided funds for the purpose.
The ministry three days ago released Rs198,000 to
the District Administration Office Kathmandu which
has now been handed over to the hospital. The Forensic Department of the hospital on January 31 wrote to the ministry for the management of the corpses after the bodies started decaying in the lack of a proper morgue.
The ministry directed the DAO to manage the bodies
as per the Dead Body Management Guidelines-2011. The rule authorises the DAO to bury or cremate the bodies that remain unclaimed for more than 15 days.
Though cremation is a popular way of disposing of bodies, they will be buried as requested by the TUTH and the National Human Rights Commission so that they can be handed over to their relatives if they claim them.
The bodies are most likely to be buried on the hospital premises. Fifteen bodies each were brought from Kathmandu and Langtang (Rasuwa) while the remaining three were collected from Dolakha district. “We are planning to bury all the bodies within a week,” said Dr Wasti.
The hospital has carried out DNA tests of all the
bodies so that they can be easily handed over if relatives claim them.