“My father died a day after he was admitted to the hospital. When we enquired about cremation at the hospital, they quoted Rs 70,000,” said the man, a resident of Yousufguda. “People were indeed charged up to Rs 25,000 for Covid-19 cremations until last month, but we recently organised a meeting and asked the crematorium workers to not collect more than Rs 8, 000 in case a person died at private hospitals,” said R Upender, zonal commissioner, LB Nagar. “For those who died at government hospitals and unclaimed bodies, cremations are conducted for free. We have also directed them to conduct cremations free of cost to those hailing from economically backward families by using donated wood or gas crematoriums.”