Crematorium cries for renovation

CUTTACK: For several decades, Kansarikuda crematorium at Badambadi New Colony here has been in a sorry state. Lack of water connection and lighting has rendered the facility almost unusable.

While residents of Sankarpur, Balabhadrapur, Kamalapur, Arunoday Nagar and Khannagar in the city depend on the burial ground, they face difficulties in cremating dead bodies due to lack of basic facilities. Though there is a tube well in the crematorium, it often remains defunct due to lack of maintenance.

Similarly, an ancient pond on its premises has been lying abandoned since long. The crematorium is also far away from cleanliness, locals alleged.

“As per Hindu rituals, at least two pitchers of water are required before cremating a body. While one pitcher of water is required towards bathing of the dead body, another is used in cooking ‘Shradha’ and other rituals. After cremation, water is also required for bathing of people engaged in cremation. Now, people visiting the burial ground fetch water from taps on the street,” locals said.

The crematorium also lacks lighting facility even though an electric pole is available adjacent to it. “In absence of light, we are facing difficulties while cremating bodies in the night,” they added. Despite repeated demands, the Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) is yet to initiate steps for renovation of the facility.

“We cannot develop the crematorium as it is yet to be handed over to the civic body for management,” said an official of CMC. At present, the civic body is managing five other crematoriums in the city.