File photo of last rites of Admiral Jayant Nadkarni being conducted at the Muktidham crematorium. (Express photo by Sanjay Daundkar)The Pune Cantonment Board (PCB) Tuesday said the Muktidham crematorium near Dhobighat will soon switch to environment-friendly CNG fuel. PCB CEO Subrat Pal informed media persons that the now non-functional crematorium is expected to be relaunched by mid-January next year.
“This is a unique public-private sector initiative”, Pal said, adding that the Lions Club of Bibvewadi volunteered to raise funds to the tune of Rs 1 crore for the project and undertake the construction work.
At a press conference held in Pune Tuesday, members of Lions Club of Bibvewadi, including secretary Govind Chauhan and spokesperson Mahendra Oswal, said residents in neighbouring areas like Salisbury Park, Gultekdi, and Market Yard, among others, were facing difficulties owing to the closure of the crematorium. The electric crematorium was not functioning for the last 10 months due to technical glitches, PCB officials said.
“We had to perform the last rites at other crematoriums or wait for hours to use the wooden pyre,” Lions Club members said.
The electric crematorium was set up in 2003 and by 2016 was in need of repairs, the PCB CEO told media persons. However, the board was unable to take up major works owing to financial constraints since 2017.
The crematorium receives at least eight bodies daily, Vijay Chavan, the head of the electricity department at the PCB, said. The number almost doubled during the covid pandemic, he added.
Chavan said the furnace has to be replaced. Thereafter, the PCB will be responsible for its maintenance.
The Lions Club also has plans to renovate and beautify the premises. “We have appealed to citizens to donate generously so that we can complete the work at the crematorium,” Oswal said.