The Hindu : New Delhi News : Delhi gets CNG-run crematorium

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Thursday, Jul 19, 2007
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New Delhi

Delhi gets CNG-run crematorium

Staff Reporter

The six-unit crematorium at Nigambodh Ghat will be managed by Arya Samaj
MCD to encourage use of CNG crematoriums over conventional ones

NEW DELHI: The Chairman of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi Standing Committee, Vijender Gupta, inspected a newly built six-unit CNG-operated crematorium at Nigambodh Ghat here on Tuesday. The crematorium will be handed over for operation to the Arya Samaj.

Mr. Gupta said the six CNG units had been installed at a cost of Rs.37 lakh each and the MCD would encourage use of the CNG crematoriums over conventional electricity and fuel-wood based ones.

According to Mr. Gupta, 600 to 900 conventional cremations using firewood are held in the Capital every day. The use of wood for burning bodies is time-consuming (10 hours to burn a body completely) and hazardous to the environment. More than 300 kg of firewood is required for a single body and incomplete combustion of the fuel results in emission of carbon monoxide and respirable particulate matter (RPM) into the atmosphere. The large quantity of wood required is ecologically unviable as it is directly linked to deforestation, Mr. Gupta added.

Though environment-friendly, electric crematoriums are expensive to operate, Mr. Gupta said. This method results in zero emissions but the electrical heating filament has to be kept switched on throughout the day irrespective of its usage. Consequently, a monthly electricity bill of Rs. 1 lakh has to be incurred and an additional Rs.50,000 has to be spent on maintenance.

Mr. Gupta called CNG crematoriums the most cost-effective and environment-friendly option and said MCD had adopted a policy of encouraging them. It was on MCD’s agenda to convert all existing electric crematoriums into CNG-operated ones. Cremating a body in an electric crematorium costs Rs.1,200, while in the CNG operated one it costs just Rs.500.

Explaining the equipment, Mr. Gupta said heating filaments are replaced by gas-burners which require just 30 minutes of pre-heating.

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