KOLKATA:
Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation has cleared a proposal to rent out freezer boxes to those who can’t immediately cremate the departed. The authorities are in the process to procure one such freezer box.
The 7ft freezer box can be rented for a day or two till the time the family members are ready to cremate the body. The box will be fitted with a compressor that will cool it down to sub-zero temperatures. A thin layer of ice would be created on the surface of the steel tray where the body will be laid and the box’s cover will be a transparent dome.
In 2014, the municipality had to shelve an initiative to set up a mortuary in EE Block after locals objected saying it would upset children and depress others. But residents, when told about the civic body’s plans on purchasing the freezer box, welcomed the idea. They said the measure was long overdue. “The township is the senior citizen capital of the state. There are so many people who have children living abroad. At the time of death, relatives have to look for places to preserve the body because the last rites can’t be performed without the son or daughter, who needs time to travel all the way from across continents,” said BC Sen, a member of AK Block Samaj Kalyan Samity.
Earlier, the only option was to take the body to Peace Haven, the mortuary on Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Road. Lately, people from
Salt Lake, Lake Town and other areas along VIP Road have also been availing the facilities of Peace World on the
Park Circus Connector. “But a freezer box would be far more convenient,” said New Jerseybased software engineer Pratiti Sinha, who is currently visiting her elderly parents in GD block.
Tenders are being floated to procure a box for Rs 6 lakh. “Once the box is bought, a committee will be formed to oversee how it is rented out and maintained. The hiring rates will be fixed by the committee,” a Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation official said the details of the service will be posted on the civic body’s website.
“One freezer box is not enough because the demand is quite high,” said Pratima Chatterjee, who runs an old-age home in Salt Lake. However, Sayantan Dasgupta, an engineer living in AA Block, said, “One is a good start, hopefully there will be more in the future.”
Kumar Shankar Sadhu, a senior citizen and former secretary of the Bidhannagar Welfare Association, said, “Yes, I am sure there will be more than one freezer box later.” He called it a “commendable initiative”.
