NEW DELHI: In a move to clean Yamuna River, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi has announced a change in the immersion process of cremated bodies at the Nigam Bodh Ghat cremation ground. The practice of immersing pyres in Yamuna will be discontinued, and the cremated remains will be transported to the Kankhal Ghat in Haridwar, Uttarakhand, for final immersion.
To enforce this decision, bamboo barricades have been installed along the riverbanks. The Nigambodh Ghat administration has advised that all cremations must be carried out on designated platforms provided by them. These platforms ensure that the cremation process is done away from the riverbanks, and Yamuna water will be made available for immersion. The management has also provided rucksacks for people to collect the ashes and immerse them in the Ganges.
Currently, the Badi Panchayat Vaishya Beese Agarwal organisation manages the operations of Nigambodh Ghat. Suman Kumar Gupta, the chief coordinator of the organisation said that approximately sixty bodies are cremated there each day, resulting in the collection of around 600kg of ashes.
“We have a dedicated storage room for the collection of ashes. Every month, a truck transports the ashes to the Kankhal ghat in Haridwar,” Gupta said.
He added that the organisation provides assistance to individuals who are unable to afford the immersion of their relatives’ pyres at holy places. They provide the regardless of anyone’s financial background.