Mumbai: The
BMC
will set up an eco-friendly
pyre cremation system
at nine
crematoriums
across the city. BMC’s environmentally friendly wood pyre furnaces is a step towards reducing
air pollution
and environmental degradation.
According to BMC, currently, there are 10 electric crematoriums and 18 gas crematoriums in the city. Along with electric and gas crematorium, the use of
eco-friendly
pyre systems is another step towards reducing pollution.
Earlier, in 2020, the civic body had set up a two similar systems on a pilot basis in Sion which, according to BMC, is functioning well. Subsequently, BMC’s mechanical and electrical department initiated a tender process for implementing the same system at nine other locations.
“Earlier, cremation was carried out in the open on a wood pyre. In the eco-friendly system, the pyre is covered on all sides and the body is placed on a trolley along with wood. The trolley is then slid into an enclosed furnace, which has an exhaust and releases the smoke after purification. This not only helps control spread of smoke and pollutants into the surrounding area, but also ensures that the sentiments of the people about cremating in a traditional manner by using wood is also catered to. The rites can be performed before it is slid into the furnace,” said a BMC official.
This system has combustion chamber for cremation, and due to the furnace’s special design, minimum wood is used in the combustion process. Normally, between 350-400kg of wood is used for cremation, but in this system, only 100-125kg of wood is used, saving an average 250kg of wood. This will also help reduce the amount of carbon emissions. The system also has water scrubbers and cyclonic separators which help remove particulates and toxic gases from air pollutants released into the air through a 30-meter-high chimney.
The eco-friendly wood pyre cremation system will be set up at Bhoiwada crematorium, Gowari crematorium (Wadala), Vaikunthdham crematorium (Reay Road), Tagore Nagar crematorium (Vikhroli), Deonar Colony crematorium (Govandi), Amardham Postal Colony (Chembur), Babhai Crematorium (Borivli), Oshiwara crematorium and Shiv Dham (Goregaon).
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