Tiruchi
Citizens’ groups in Tiruchi have raised concerns over transfer of the Oyamari crematorium by the Tiruchi City Corporation to a private contractor and written to the Chief Minister’s Cell seeking his intervention.
The maintenance of the Oyamari crematorium which is managed by the civic body, is to be transferred to a private society after they improve the infrastructure of the facility, senior officials said. “The private organisation has agreed to redevelop the grounds, at a cost of ₹3 crore, after which they will charge ₹3,000 to cremate a body,” S. Sivasubramanian, City Corporation Commissioner told The Hindu .
However, a section of citizens claims that the shift was unnecessary. “The civic body could use the funds to improve infrastructure in the city, improve roads or even construct some parks in the area. We do not need to spend ₹3,000 for a cremation,” said M. Sekaran, Chairman, Citizens’ Forum.
Mr. Sekaran said that many residents in the city would not be able to afford the high costs for cremation. “Amount of ₹1,500, which is being charged by the civic body is already too high,” he said. “There were several problems earlier when a private contractor had been maintaining the grounds. We do not want the issues to surface again,” he added.
Meanwhile, the road leading to the crematorium and the surrounding area is in a sorry state, he said. One of the two furnaces at the cremation grounds too is not functional. “If the civic body wishes to improve the infrastructure, they may do so on their own. It is the duty of a civic body to ensure provision for burial and cremation grounds,” he said.
Mr. Sekaran has also written to the Chief Minister’s Cell seeking his intervention on the matter. “I have written asking them to dissuade the City Corporation Commissioner from transferring the operations,” he said.
