No end in sight for crematorium woes in Mangalore

Crematoria in Nandigudde, Shaktinagar and Chembugudde lack basic facilities

August 31, 2013 10:42 am | Updated June 13, 2016 11:13 am IST - MANGALORE:

Mangalore: Except for the shed to burn the bodies no other basic amenities or faciltiites exist at the Hindu cemetry in Nandigudda in Mangalore. Photo: R.Eswarraj

Mangalore: Except for the shed to burn the bodies no other basic amenities or faciltiites exist at the Hindu cemetry in Nandigudda in Mangalore. Photo: R.Eswarraj

The Hindu crematorium at Nandigudde can take four bodies at a time and if a fifth body arrives, the relations must look for another place. “Such people must make some other arrangements,” said Prabhakar Salian, one of the workers in charge of the crematorium.

That is only one of the pressing problems at the crematorium, which is beset with problems and needs urgent attention to improve it, said some Mangaloreans.

Mr. Salian said there is no place for relations to sit, there is no place to store wood (it is not an electric crematorium) and there is no light in the building.

Ananthakrishna Hebbar, a Mangalore resident, said, “It is in a dilapidated condition, infrastructure is very bad and the compound wall has collapsed”.

Vasanth Shetty, a Mangalore resident, said a person’s last journey should be dignified and therefore the place must be repaired and spruced up.

He said when the rituals are being carried out for three bodies, other bodies must wait. He said some citizens have got together to discuss how the crematorium can be improved. There is a lack of facilities at the crematoria in Shaktinagar and Chembugudde as well. “They are in a bad shape and condition. Waste is thrown here and there,” he said. Another problem is that the place does not have enough space for parking.

Afrid, who works in the auto repair shop on the main road, said that the place is used to the optimum as at least one or two bodies arrive there everyday. Most of them come in ambulances. He said three bodies arrived on Wednesday.

‘I’m not aware’

Ajith Kumar Hegde S, Commissioner, Mangalore City Corporation, said, “It’s an old crematorium. The problem has not come to my notice. Other crematoria in the city are also in the same state. We will address the problems one by one.”

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