CNG-operated crematorium in Goregaon soon

Goregaon residents will soon be able to breathe in a comparatively less-polluted environ- ment. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has recently put forward a proposal for its first CNG-based crematorium at Goregaon (East).

The crematorium on Western Express Highway at Aarey, Goregaon (East), which will be converted into a green crematorium. Pics/Kiran Bhalerao

The civic body plans to start CNG-based facilities at all 46 crematoriums under its jurisdiction in the hopes of curbing pollution levels. A budgetary provision of Rs 4.94 crore has been allocated to convert the crematoriums into green crematoriums with Rs 1.34 lakh allotted to each project.

The residents of Goregaon pushed for a green-crematorium and followed up continuously with the authorities as the smoke due to burning of wood and electrification was causing them great discomfort. Apart from curbing pollution levels, the move is aimed at curtailing expenses.

In the budget speech on February 4, Municipal Commissioner Sitaram Kunte said, "We will try to convert all wood-based crematoriums into green crematoriums working on natural gas in the next five years."u00a0Devdatta Mahajan, a resident of Goregaon (East), said, "It is definitely going to be helpful and this CNG-based idea is indeed going to be valuable."

Dr Arun Bamne, executive health officer, said, "We were going to do it in five crematoriums across the city in the first phase. This is one of the five and there are plans to install systems based on piped natural gas (PNG) later."

Number game
In total, there are 191 crematoriums in Mumbai. Out of these, 46 are managed by the BMC and the rest are under private operators. Seven of city's crematoriums are composite (where Hindus, Muslims and Christians can perform last rites). Eleven crematoriums are electrically operated. The city's lone CNG-based crematorium is located in Mulund and maintained by Mulund Nagrik Seva Sangh, a private party