Odisha: A restriction on the cremation of bodies from outside the coastal district of Odisha at the Swargadwar crematorium in Puri has been lifted, an official said on Friday. This is because COVID-19 has improved in Puri, and so the restriction has been lifted.

In Puri, the number of people getting coronavirus infections went up a lot. The authorities put a stop to people from other districts and outside of Odisha getting their bodies cremated from January 10.

An official said that the restriction on funerals for people from other parts of Odisha and from neighbouring states at Swargadwar and on the burial of ashes at the "Mahodadhi" (sea) has been lifted because of a drop in coronavirus-positive cases in Puri. The official cited a notification from Thursday.

Relatives of people who have died have to bring the right documents to the reception desk of the Swargadwar Seva Samiti in Puri, he said. A maximum of 10 people will be allowed to attend funeral services at the crematorium, an official said. They will have to follow COVID's rules about how to behave.

The sub-collector of Puri and the convener secretary of the Swargadwar Seva Samiti have been told to make sure the order is obeyed and to take the appropriate action if it isn't.

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