Chennai Corporation to get 7 more gasifier crematoria

The local body has 38 burial grounds, 23 gasifier-based crematoria and another 7 electrical crematoria. More than 150 deaths are reported daily within the city limits. 

The new units will include two at Manali and one each at Madhavaram, Ayanavaram, Mugalivakkam, Puludivakkam and Injambakkam, sources said. As gasifiers’ consume only 150 kilos of wood as against the 600 kilos needed for conventional cremation, the local body has decided to opt for gasifier based units in the newly added areas as they are far cheaper than electrical crematoria which need up to 125 units to cremate a body. 

But the gasifier crematoria need to be closed for nearly 10 days for annual maintenance during which period locals are advised to use traditional cremation methods, which sometimes creates problems.

“As these areas now form part of GCC, processes are underway for the local bodies to hand over their assets including burial grounds to GCC,” officials added.  

While the Otteri and Velangadu crematoria are operated by NGOs which employ women for all cremation related services, two other NGOs operate LPG based gasifier units at Nesapakkam and Mylapore. “This has reduced pollution in addition to being cheaper,” officials explained. 

Special areas have been earmarked for the burial of pets in the Kannamapet and Ayanavaram burial grounds, due to demand. But of late there were not many pet burials as people still prefer to bury their pets in their homes.