Mismatch in MCD & Delhi Govt. Corona death data
BS RAWAT
The number of Covid-19 deaths in Delhi has been under the scanner for discrepancies between the government figures and those of North and South Municipal Corporations.
But now, data accessed by DTMT raises new questions about this mismatch in Covid-19 death figures in the national capital.
The consolidated figures for Covid-related deaths provided by both MCDs to the Delhi Government’s Health Ministry are 559, which includes confirmed as well as suspected cases.
The Municipal Corporations of North and South Delhi have told the Delhi government that they have recorded 426 cremations or burials at six designated cremation/burial grounds until May 16 as “Corona positive”.
The North MCD had recorded cremations, burials of 202 ‘Covid positive’ bodies including 191 at Nigambodh Ghat, 10 at Muslim burial ground, Mangolpuri and one at Christian cemetery, Mangolpuri. It also stated that it had recorded 50 cremations of ‘Covid suspected’ bodies — all at Nigambodh Ghat.
The South corporation had recorded 224 corona positive cremations and burials including— 162 at the Punjabi Bagh crematorium, 61 at ITO Kabristan, and 1 at the Madanpur Khadar burial ground. It also claimed that while 15 were cremated at Punjabi Bagh, 68 were buried at the ITO graveyard.
On May 22, the Delhi government’s official health bulletin had put the number of Covid deaths in the city at 208. A senior official in Health Ministry said North and South MCDs had not provided documents which they claimed had tested positive.
Earlier, Delhi Health Secretary Padmini Singla sought details from both MCDs of cremations and burials performed at the Nigambodh Ghat and Punjabi Bagh crematoriums and the ITO graveyard of bodies of people who either had or were suspected to have coronavirus pandemic.