The existing method of cremating dead bodies on wooden pyres takes more than four hours. [break]
Officials at PADT said that all necessary preparations for opening the crematorium have been completed and the service will start within two months.
The office said that it has already received two crematory machines and has also the supplier to install the machines.
"Installation process will begin within a week. The service will be started within two months," said Sushil Nahata, member secretary of PADT. The office said that the supplier will also provide the necessary training to the employees of PADT to run the crematory. The machines were supplied by the Calcutta-based Indian engineering company. Two corpses can be cremated at once after the service comes into operation. The office has plans to buy another machine if the service becomes effective.
The PADT has spent Rs 40millions for the advance machines, said Prabesh Ram Bhandari, a PADT board member. According to Bhandari, building electronic crematorium in the Aryaghat was a much awaited plan of PADT. Officials said that the PADT had proposed to establish such facility more than 20-years ago.
Bhandari said that cremating the dead would be more economical at the crematorium than the traditional process. The traditional cremation process takes more than four hours and costs over Rs 7,000. The PADT, however, has not yet fixed the amount it would charge for the service, but Bhandari said it would be between Rs 1,000 and 1,500. People have been spending much money on cremation at Aryaghat. The cost is particularly burdensome for the families of poor patients who die at big hospitals in the capital. Some people who cannot arrange enough money to take the body of their deceased relative back to their village wish to cremate them at Aryaghat. But most of them have to send somebody to the village to arrange money. Families of such people will get little relief from the service.
"The electronic crematorium has multiple benefits. It will save time, energy and reduced pollution," said Bhandari, adding, "It will be more economical too." Each funeral pyre consumes about 500 kg of woods that means more pressure on the forest. Traditional cremation process also pollutes the Bagmati River. "Every day more than 50 corpses come to Aryaghat for cremation. Bhandari said that families and funeral attendees wait hours to get the turn to cremate their dead. "Once the crematorium comes in operation, the machines will incinerate corpses within 30 minutes to 45 minutes," he said.
The PADT said that the service would not be mandatory. "Those who want to follow traditional process are free to do so," said Bhandari. He said that the crematorium facility will have space to conduct all traditional rituals. Families of the deceased can complete all the rites before the corpses placed into the machine.
The PADT does not believe that all people would opt for the modern service in the initial period. The office said that some people would find the new technology unconvincing. "As it is a sensitive matter, we cannot enforce it strictly," added Bhandari.
According to Bhandari, most of the Indian cities have electronic crematorium facility and some have even banned the traditional cremation process, which causes environment pollution.
The PADT said that the electronic crematorium will have a mortuary to keep corpses fresh for long time. The mortuary would be useful for people who have to wait for their relatives, for example, those coming from abroad.
At present, only the Nepal Police Science Laboratory (NPSL) has a mortuary service in the country. Due to lack of sufficient storage facility, the NPSL cannot keep dead bodies for long. The PADT also said that separate room has been constructed at the crematorium for cornea donation process.
KMC´s crematorium bites dust
A crematory bought by the Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) some 28 years ago has become defunct without ever being used.
The KMC had bought the machine to reduce environment pollution and decrease dependency on firewood.
The Environment Department of the KMC said that the machine was supposed to be installed at the Teku Ghat.
"A building had been built and some parts of the machine were brought, but we could bring it into operation," said Santaram Pokhrel, chief of the department. The metropolis is no longer interested to operate the machine.
Electric crematorium will reduce pollution
Prabesh Ram Bhandari, PADT board member
Will people embrace the new cremation technology?
The service is optional. We cannot force people to use the new technology. Facility of cremating dead bodies through traditional methods would also be available. As it is a matter of sentiments, the service will be optional. It would take time for the new technology to gain wide acceptance. But people can perform all the rites in the electronic crematorium as well.
Can you elaborate how last rites can be performed inside the electronic crematorium?
They can complete all the rituals in the Bramhanal or in the crematorium house. As in the traditional way, relatives can also give fire to their deceased. The body would be transferred to the machine only after all the processes are completed. I think people will embrace new technology once they know all the procedure.
Why is the electric crematorium facility necessary at Aryaghat?
Each day 40 to 50 dead bodies are brought to Aryaghat for cremation. Funeral attendees have to wait for more than four hours to burn the dead bodies completely. Sometimes people have to wait for hours to get the turn to cremate their dead relatives. Each funeral pyre consumes about 500 kg of fire woods that means more pressure on the forest. Traditional method also makes the river and air polluted. The traditional method is expensive as well. The family of deceased has to spend over 7,000 to cremate a dead body if they follow traditional method. The new technology is advance, cost effective, environment friendly. A dead body can be cremated within 30 to 45 minutes and the service would cost only Rs 1,000 to 1,500.
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