Sumanahalli Crematorium
BENGALURU: As the second wave of Covid-19 infections grips Bengaluru, people are lining up outside four electric crematoria in the city to cremate their near and dear ones. The queues have become longer as the number of deaths has risen. Many people have been waiting for up to six to seven hours at a stretch as they wait for their turn to pay their last respects to their loved one.
The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has reserved the electric crematoriums at Medi Agrahara, Kudlu, Panathur, Kengeri, Sumanahalli, Peenya and Banashankari for cremation of those who died from the virus. But the rush has also put the workers who are taking care of these crematorias under strain. Many of them claim that they have been working without a break for the past week and that their work has doubled due to the rush. The workers have also alleged that they are not getting paid for their hard work.
It is for this reason that there have been several protests by these frontline workers at the crematorias and graveyards in the city. They have even threatened to stop their work unless the conditions improve.
While some pet parents are able to bury their furry friends in their backyard, others don’t have that option. For them, there has been a longstanding demand for BBMP to open a crematorium that is exclusively meant for pets and livestock.
Sumanahalli Crematorium to Be Opened For Pets and Livestock
Earlier, BBMP’s Rajarajeswari Nagar zone had opened an animal crematorium at Sumanahalli in Magadi Road. But it remained closed for almost a year as the incinerators at the facility were not functioning. But the civic body has now decided to add another electric furnace to the existing two at the facility.
A BBMP official said that the new furnace would allow for cremation of up to 20 carcasses of pets and livestock each day. The official added that a fee of Rs 300 has been fixed for the cremation of small animals and Rs 1,000 for larger ones. This will help the BBMP to cover the cost of the incinerators and other expenses associated with operating the crematorium.
As per the official, it will be only after the Sumanahalli Crematorium is functional that BBMP will start working on the repair of the other electric crematoriums. In the meantime, families have to travel far and wide to the other four crematorias in the city to pay their last respects to their departed family members.
This is causing a lot of inconvenience to the relatives and also putting them under immense stress. Moreover, it is a costly affair for them to travel long distances. Hence, it is important that the city’s crematoriums are reopened soon. This will ease the pressure on them and help the grieving families. Also, it will ensure that the grieving families get a fair opportunity to pay their last respects to their deceased loved ones. Besides, it will ensure that the service is available to everyone and not only to some of the richer sections of the society.