As epidemic threat looms, seers clear mass funeral at Kedarnath

June 25, 2013 01:29

TOI reports: With most stranded pilgrims and locals having been evacuated from the Kedarnath-Gaurikund axis, the next big challenge confronting the authorities is the disposal of hundreds of corpses that are littered in and around the holy shrine.

Unless that's the done, it would be difficult to ward off the outbreak of deadly diseases in the already ravaged hills.

As an emergency measure, Union home minister had consultations with top holy men, including Shankaracharya Swami Swaroopanand.

The question to them was: would a mass cremation pollute the temple? The seers are learnt to have said it would not if the cremation was done in accordance with the proper rituals and in a wooden pyre.

Accordingly, 150 quintals of wood, sourced from local depots, was transported to Gauchar. The consignment reached there at 3pm on Monday. From there the wood would be moved to Kedarnath by helicopter. Given the amount of wood that's required, it would take a very large number of sorties

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