Reaching crematorium at Ward 83 is like a walk to hell, say residents

Thousands of residents of Thathankuppam village bordering Korattur claim that the crematorium has no proper facility for burning the dead besides the chimney meant for disposing the fumes has been broken and it leaks during rains.

Speaking to DT Next, a local resident and social activist M Satish said that the crematorium in Thathankuppam village was in dire straits. “We have repeatedly complained to the Tiruvallur district administration to take corrective action, but they washed their hands off saying that the region falls under the Chennai Corporation since August 2018. For the past six years, we have been complaining in vain. We hope that at least the city corporation takes up the renovation works soon,” Satish said.

Another common complaint of the local residents is that there is no proper access road to the crematorium which forced the funeral processions to walk through bushes.

Besides, practical difficulties of taking a dead body through an open field ridden with thorny bushes and sharp stones, locals claim that there have been occasions when people have been bitten by snakes while walking up to the crematorium. “This is especially common during late evening and night hours as there are no lights in the vicinity and we are forced to walk in the dark. The danger of stamping over a snake is a real threat here,” said another resident of Thathankuppam on condition of anonymity.

When contacted, Assistant Engineer for Ward 83 of the Chennai Corporation, Ashok Kumar said that they would take immediate action to clear the path towards the crematorium on a priority basis. “I will also inspect the spot and find out the other problems with the crematorium after discussing it with the local residents,” the Assistant Engineer said.