Cremations should be allowed at Vaikunth 24X7, say residents

As Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is considering a proposal to stop cremations post 6 pm at Vaikunth, city’s oldest crematorium located in Navi Peth, residents have opposed the move.

PMC has stopped issuing cremation passes at Vaikunth after complaints from nearby residents about health hazards and air pollution. The civic administration has claimed that residents can get passes from other locations where this facility is available 24x7.

Vaikunth is one of the oldest crematoria developed by PMC in 1958, built adjacent to the river Mutha. Although there are 28 crematoriums across the city, the Vaikunth crematorium is a preferred facility due to its central location, spacious area and proximity to main city hospitals.

According to the residents, the crematorium is an essential service and it should be open 24X7.

Sharmila Lodhi, a city resident, said, “Vaikunth is the oldest crematorium, the construction of residential units around the place came after it. It is important that performing the last rites should be open for 24 hours.”

Another resident Maithili Manekwad, said, “Normally cremations are done in the daytime, but some cremations are carried during the night as it is not advised to keep the body overnight or the morgue facility maybe not be affordable. This is one essential service and should be treated that way.”

Mehzabin Saiyed, another resident, said that it does not make sense to disallow the functioning of crematoriums as most times people come to know about death in the morning. “It takes time for the relatives to gather and it is not possible for everyone to keep the body overnight.”

According to Shyamala Desai, active Mohalla committee member, iIt is highly improbable to ask a crematorium to stop accepting dead post 6pm. “There are unfortunate incidents and these are essential duties, but issues such as smoke pollution can be curbed but that doesn’t mean stopping cremations in the evening,” she said.

“The decision will be taken by the municipal commissioner on the same,” said Shriniwas Kandul, PMC chief engineer, electrical department.