Drought Is Forcing Parents Of Andhra To Leave Dead Infants Behind, Police Forced To Conduct Last Rites!

The severe drought that has been wreaking havoc in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh hasn't even spared the dead.

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In the past two months, bodies of seven infants abandoned at the gynaecology ward of Kurnool Government Hospital as their parents were not in a position to afford the cost final rites.

Moved by the heart-rending news of decomposing bodies, Kurnool Superintendent of Police A Ravi Krishna and his team stepped in to give the dead infants a decent burial. The officer and his men conducted the last rites on Saturday.

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Officials said thousands of people in Kurnool, which is one of the four districts of Rayalaseem region that is reeling under severe drought, are struggling to find work in agriculture fields to earn their meal for the day.

Spending a few thousands on final rites, the officials said, is something next to impossible. "People are migrating to neighbouring Karnataka and far away Maharashtra in search of work," said an official.

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"Usually, parents take the bodies of the babies that are stillborn or die within hours after birth. Unfortunately, the drought is forcing them to leave the bodies in the hospital, where there is a facility to bury them." Ravi Krishna told Mirror.

The Kurnool hospital had an arrangement with a woman to do the final rites of such bodies at the cost of Rs 120 per case. She recently asked for a hike on the grounds that the cost of flowers and other items had gone up. But authorities turned down the request, prompting the woman to discontinue the service.

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"Her argument too looked genuine as the job had become unviable for her. Now, I am writing to the hospital superintendent to make arrangements to ensure that bodies are not kept in the open for days," the SP said.

The cops have also approached a few local NGOs seeking their help.