Times of India: Nagpur: Friday, 19 July 2024.
None of the Nagpur Municipal Corporation-run 19 crematoriums in the city has the facility for electric cremation. This lack of eco-friendly cremation options has led to a significant financial burden on NMC and raised environmental concerns.
Information received under
RTI Act by social activist Abhay Kolarkar reveals the NMC spent ₹14.22 crore on
cremating the dead by using wood, and ₹89 lakh on cow-dung cakes from 2021-24.
LPG, and biomass briquettes are also in use at select crematoriums. NMC gives
300kg wood and 10kg of cow-dung cakes to cremate a body which shows more
reliance on methods not conducive to the environment. The RTI response states
that no NMC crematorium has an electric facility.
In the first six months of 2024, not a single LPG was used as the machine is defunct. However, there seems to be an increase in use of biomass briquettes with 5,602 tonne costing ₹1.22 crore were used.
“The reliance on wood and cow-dung cakes not only adds to the financial strain on NMC but also contributes to pollution and environmental degradation. The use of wood for cremation puts pressure on green cover,” says NMC’s Swachh Bharat ambassador and green activist Kaustav Chatterjee.
As Nagpur strives to become a greener city, it is crucial to find alternative methods that reduce dependence on wood and promote sustainable practices. Electric crematoriums offer a promising solution to this problem as they eliminate the need for wood and cow-dung cakes, thus reducing the environmental impact of the cremation process.
The traditional methods have led to littering at crematoriums. Leftover ash, wood debris, and other waste materials are often left unattended, creating an unhygienic environment.
“By adopting eco-friendly cremation methods, the NMC can significantly reduce its expenditure on wood and cow-dung cakes,” says Chatterjee.
Electric crematoriums are more efficient and require less time compared to traditional methods, which can help manage cremations in the city besides contributing to the city's green initiatives.
None of the Nagpur Municipal Corporation-run 19 crematoriums in the city has the facility for electric cremation. This lack of eco-friendly cremation options has led to a significant financial burden on NMC and raised environmental concerns.
In the first six months of 2024, not a single LPG was used as the machine is defunct. However, there seems to be an increase in use of biomass briquettes with 5,602 tonne costing ₹1.22 crore were used.
“The reliance on wood and cow-dung cakes not only adds to the financial strain on NMC but also contributes to pollution and environmental degradation. The use of wood for cremation puts pressure on green cover,” says NMC’s Swachh Bharat ambassador and green activist Kaustav Chatterjee.
As Nagpur strives to become a greener city, it is crucial to find alternative methods that reduce dependence on wood and promote sustainable practices. Electric crematoriums offer a promising solution to this problem as they eliminate the need for wood and cow-dung cakes, thus reducing the environmental impact of the cremation process.
The traditional methods have led to littering at crematoriums. Leftover ash, wood debris, and other waste materials are often left unattended, creating an unhygienic environment.
“By adopting eco-friendly cremation methods, the NMC can significantly reduce its expenditure on wood and cow-dung cakes,” says Chatterjee.
Electric crematoriums are more efficient and require less time compared to traditional methods, which can help manage cremations in the city besides contributing to the city's green initiatives.
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