The gasifier crematorium at the Konakkarai graveyard in the city remains largely underutilised apparently due to misinformation over the time taken to burn corpses at the facility.
The Tiruchi Corporation had spent about ₹1 crore to establish the gasifier crematorium at the graveyard where the traditional form of cremation is also done. Though the gasifier crematorium was completed about four years ago, it was declared open about two years ago.
According to sources, the number of dead bodies, which were burnt in the crematorium, is just 17 since it was put into use. On average, the grave yard receives two bodies a day but relatives of the dead prefer to burn them by traditional method.
While a section of residents prefer the traditional method, others feel that they have been forced to burn the dead on open burning site due to long time taken to burn bodies. They say that it takes about two hours to burn a body at the Oyamari grave yard but it takes about seven hours to burn a body at the crematorium.
The residents had been using the burning site covered by an iron sheet structure near the crematorium to burn bodies in traditional method. It was ripped apart and thrown away in the impact of Gaja cyclone last year. Since then, people prefer to burn dead bodies on an open burning site.
“There is no seriousness on the part of the civic body to make full use of the crematorium. No resident prefers to use it as it takes about seven hours to burn a body. If it is done within two hours, the people will prefer to use the crematorium,” said T. Thiruvanukarasu, former councillor.
Officials say that the crematorium is under good condition and it is functioning well. It may not take more than two hours to burn a body.
A few persons are spreading misinformation. When contacted, Corporation Commissioner N. Ravichandran said that information boards had been kept at the crematorium asking the people to make use of the facility. Burning dead bodies at the crematorium was easy and safe.
It was an environment friendly method. Steps would be taken to create awareness among the people to use the crematorium well.
