Good morning friends. First day of the week. Start of the day’s work. I love nature very much as I appreciate this journey they have. They have this final journey for going green. Some may didn’t have idea of this. This is saving our green nature . . . the trees. I hope everybody will give importance to our nature.
The number of eco-conscious people is growing steadily. This is highlighted by the fact that more people are opting for electric and CNG cremation for dear ones. According to Birth & Death Control Department of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), there has been a jump in number of families which are voluntarily opting for environment friendly funerals.
A senior AMC official said, “In last two years, there has been a jump of almost 30 per cent in environment-friendly cremations in the city. Families are willingly opting for cremation through electricity or CNG.”
Going green on their last journey also means saving hundreds of trees which are chopped down for final rites. AMC needs 10 lakh kg of wood annually for cremating dead bodies. A major chunk of this wood comes from the dense forest area of Dahod and Panchmahal. The woods used are mainly of Mango, Neem and Asopalav.
According to official figures, the total number of deaths reported annually at AMC is 25,000 which include all religions. Nearly 24,000 bodies are brought to AMC-run crematoriums out of which 20,000 are cremated as per the Hindu tradition.
The official said, “Nearly 25-30 per cent people who go for Hindu final rites for their kin opt for green cremation these days instead of funeral by woods. Even the rich and affluent class from western side of the city are going for green cremation,” added the official.
AMC runs 18 crematoriums in the city, out of which 10 have the facility of electricity and CNG cremation. In 2007, 24 per cent opted for green cremation, in 2008 the percentage jumped to 28.
Chairman of the health committee Praful Rawal said, “It is a voluntary decision of grieving families to either opt for funeral by woods or CNG. We have a nominal charge for wood while CNG and electricity are free of cost service. But, for Below Poverty line (BPL) families’ cremation through wood is highly subsidized.”
“AMC authorities have been improvising on the infrastructure of the existing crematoriums. Most of the crematoriums have been equipped with facilities for CNG and electric cremations and other are under construction in different areas,” adds Rawal.
AMC is spending around Rs 15 crore on modernization of existing crematoriums and construction of new ones fitted with CNG. – The Times of India
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