BHUBANESWAR: The capital’s major crematorium at Satya Nagar is lying in grave neglect, thanks to the apathy of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) which has turned a blind eye to the prominent funeral site.
The number of dead bodies being cremated has come down drastically in the post-Covid phase but a large number of people from the city and its outskirts still depend on it to perform the last rites of their family members. From defunct electric burner to a lack of adequate drinking water, bathing facility and sanitation around the funeral pyres, the crematorium is grappling with a number of issues.
The lone electric burner installed at the crematory lies defunct for most of the days every year owing to frequent technical snags and lack of maintenance. Sources said the burner that requires 550-volt power round-the-clock was damaged in August 2020 due to power fluctuation. Though it was subsequently repaired by technicians from Kolkata, the burner’s coil was damaged again.“A BMC team had inspected it earlier this month. But we are not sure as to when it will be repaired,” said a crematorium staff.
Residents of Satya Nagar said the electric burner had been set up to check pollution in the area as well as to help those who are unable to afford wood pyre for funerals. “These objectives remain unfulfilled due to its frequent malfunctioning,” said a local, adding the crematorium needs another electric burner as the existing one had been installed way back in 1999. Besides, two burners could be run alternatively to reduce load.
Electric burner, however, is not the only issue. The cremation, despite being the biggest and major funeral site in the state capital, doesn’t have proper bathing facility on its premises. An artificial pond constructed in 1999 has been lying defunct since the outbreak of Covid and is yet to be restored. The sanitation within the crematorium ground is equally grim. Apart from overgrown bushes and shrubs, trash can be found strewn around the funeral site, as the crematorium lacks a designated space for proper disposal of funeral waste.
Moreover, a decision on demand of residents for shifting of the crematorium to another location is yet to be taken.Anuradha Dash, a resident and member of Satya Nagar Ladies Club, said the civic body should involve local community in managing the crematorium ground effectively till its relocation is finalised.
Meanwhile, a senior official of the civic body informed that during a recent meeting, BMC commissioner Vijay Amruta Kulange had sought a detailed list of crematoriums in the city for their renovation and restoration in a phased manner.Accordingly, the renovation work of the Satya Nagar crematorium will also be taken up shortly, he said.