30/04/2021
Since the pandemic began volunteers of UNITED SIKHS have cremated more than 350 victims of the COVID crisis to hit Delhi. In the last month alone more than 200 bodies have been taken from homes to funeral pyres. A team of eight brave volunteers led by Pritam Singh, Director of UNITED SIKHS, Delhi, are activated by calls from helpless families through social media. This is a last resort for the families after calls to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, Delhi Police, Sub-Divisional Magistrates, or even to the swamped Hospitals for Ambulances remain unresponsive.
The modus-operandi of Waheguru’s work begins after the phone call and these volunteers reach the homes of the heartbroken and abandoned families wearing personal protective equipment, gloves, and masks, with a body bag. In most cases, all members of the families are themselves reeling under Covid. Therefore, they cannot leave the house to take part in the cremation of their deceased loved one.
Another set of UNITED SIKHS Volunteers are locating a cremation ground where the last rites can be performed with some respect. At the same time, they are also transporting wood for the cremation. In the past 15 days alone, three truckloads or 27 tons of wood have been transported to Delhi from Punjab. The Delhi team and the Punjab team of UNITED SIKHS continue to coordinate to help each other.
Depending on availability, the bodies are then taken to cremation grounds in Punjabi Bagh, Paschimpuri, or Subhash Nagar (Beri Wala Bagh) in Delhi for the final rites.
Other volunteers of UNITED SIKHS are organizing to expand the distribution of Oxygen Concentrators from the current number of five to 41 by Monday. Representatives of UNITED SIKHS in the U.S. are sending these 36 additional Oxygen Concentrators. Hundreds of other Oxygen Concentrators are expected to be sent soon. These life-saving devices will be given for eight to ten days, to those who need them most based on Oxygen levels.
Additionally, UNITED SIKHS volunteers are hiring a facility in Rajouri Garden to transform it into an emergency COVID Intensive Care Unit. The facility will have approximately 25 to 30 beds, two doctors, 10 nursing staff and 10 volunteers. The facility will focus on Oxygen care with Oxygen supply pipelines provided through outreach efforts in coordination with Delhi Police.
As Delhi’s deadly crisis shows no sign of dissipating funding needs are higher than ever. Volunteers need to cover costs for cremation, wood, diesel, petrol, transport, PPE kits, masks, gloves, medical equipment, body bags, and more to improve efficiency and expand operations.
To ask for help, volunteer, learn more, reach out to Pritam Singh, Director, United Sikhs Delhi at +919212771012.