Among these, one is gathering dust since the last six years due to absence of an operator while another one is yet to be started even after missing several deadlines in the recent past. The plan of the authorities to convert the traditional cremation places either into electric-run or CNG-run ones with the motive to reduce pollution level is yet to materialise.
Tall claims of the government and municipal authorities in this regard appear to be an eyewash as the city has only three CNG/electric cremation centres with four funeral pyres in each which have the capacity to burn less than five percent of the bodies that come for cremation in the city daily.
As per the data provided by the MCDs, there are a total of 14 cremation grounds in areas under its jurisdiction and these are spread across the city. The facility of CNG/electric cremation is only at five places namely Nigambodh Ghat, Bela Road, Lodhi Road, Sarai Kale Khan and Punjabi Bagh. The centre located at Bela Road, equipped with CNG facility, has been closed since 2008 as there are no operators to run it. The staff, deputed at the place, reveal it was functional only for a year and since then it has been abandoned.
‘After it was converted into CNG from electric about seven years back, it ran for a year only. The authorities spent more than Rs. two crore to construct it and have been paying salary of nearly 50 employees but it is closed since long,’ said an employee requesting anonymity. The much talked about CNG centre at Punjabi Bagh is yet to be started.
The MCD officials meanwhile claim they are chalking out plans to convert the traditional ones into CNG/electric ones soon. ‘As we are committed to reduce pollution level, we are planning to fit CNG facility at all centres. Plans to convert electric cremations into CNG-run places are on the card and talks are on with NGOs and other bodies in this regard,’ said YS Mann, director (Information) East and North Delhi MCD.
Tall claims of the government and municipal authorities in this regard appear to be an eyewash as the city has only three CNG/electric cremation centres with four funeral pyres in each which have the capacity to burn less than five percent of the bodies that come for cremation in the city daily.
As per the data provided by the MCDs, there are a total of 14 cremation grounds in areas under its jurisdiction and these are spread across the city. The facility of CNG/electric cremation is only at five places namely Nigambodh Ghat, Bela Road, Lodhi Road, Sarai Kale Khan and Punjabi Bagh. The centre located at Bela Road, equipped with CNG facility, has been closed since 2008 as there are no operators to run it. The staff, deputed at the place, reveal it was functional only for a year and since then it has been abandoned.
‘After it was converted into CNG from electric about seven years back, it ran for a year only. The authorities spent more than Rs. two crore to construct it and have been paying salary of nearly 50 employees but it is closed since long,’ said an employee requesting anonymity. The much talked about CNG centre at Punjabi Bagh is yet to be started.
The MCD officials meanwhile claim they are chalking out plans to convert the traditional ones into CNG/electric ones soon. ‘As we are committed to reduce pollution level, we are planning to fit CNG facility at all centres. Plans to convert electric cremations into CNG-run places are on the card and talks are on with NGOs and other bodies in this regard,’ said YS Mann, director (Information) East and North Delhi MCD.