Last journey

Cadaver donation is one significant aspect which is yet to catch up in a big way in our society. This apathy is due to ignorance, lack of infrastructure, religious beliefs and staid thinking. People should be educated about its noble intentions and concerned authorities should create visibly dignified infrastructure to encourage people to opt for donation of their bodies.

Teaching Hospitals and Medical Colleges should come forward in association with voluntary and charitable agencies in creating this awareness, infrastructure and quick, efficient and dignified service.

I have read about an Hospital in Royapuram, Chennai, which takes care of terminally ill or very aged people, who are destitutes or abandoned by their kith and kin, in their last days, on the condition their bodies are donated to the Hospital.

Apart from the benefits that will accrue to the would-be recipients of organ donation, this could be an efficient and clean option of body disposal provided, proper infrastructure is created.

Leaving aside the miniscule minority of Parsees, who follow the most environmentally friendly way of disposal of their dead, the only two options available are burial or cremation. There is immense pressure on land and there is so much dearth of firewood, that both these options have already become unviable, especially in urban areas, where cremation grounds/cemeteries have been encroached in a big way and just no land is available to create newer ones. Electric crematoriums just don’t function in majority of cases.

Hence, the time has come for searching for other options. Sea burial, especially in coastal cities, towns, is one excellent idea. This could be a third option to those who do not want to donate their organs.

Concerned authorities like Municipal Corporations, Rotary/Lions Clubs, other Charitable organizations can join together in creating the required infrastructure like proper collection site, boats, trained staff, etc. There should be staff available for registration of the sea funeral to facilitate quick issue of Death Certificates.

Government should first come forward to enact laws (if required) for recognizing this system of disposal of the dead, provide space, infrastructure and give wide publicity. Old Age Homes should counsel their inmates about this. Religious seers and leaders should educate their flock about the good that will come to the society by this noble act. Instead of harping on traditions, they should boldly encourage their co-religionists to change – for the better of the humankind. Most importantly, they could set personal example.

Late Jyoti Basu set a very visible and noble example like many unknown before him.

…ponder