HP gets first gas crematorium

People in Shimla now have the option of disposing of their dead in a more environment -friendly and cheaper way by using LPG, instead of piles of wood, at a crematorium here.

The Rotary club has imported the machinery from the United States. The plant has been set up here and trial runs have been carried out successfully .

The entire cost of the project was Rs 60 lakh. It is the first such plant to be set up in Himachal and perhaps the first to the north of Delhi.

The Rotary Club has handed over the plant to the Sood Sabha to run and maintain the plant. Civic authorities say the cost of disposing off a body will be around Rs 2,000.

Since people prefer burning the dead by traditional means which involves a lot of wood , authorities say they are willing to further reduce the cost of LPG disposal in some cases and even cremate unclaimed bodies for free .

To light the pyre a button has to be pressed to ignite the gas . There is even a modified provision for performing the important ‘kapal kriya’ hindu death ceremony ritual which involved piercing the skull of the body .

The plant is equipped with the state-of-the-art 25 kva generator set , 30 kv stabiliser , dedicated electric service cable and a gas bank of 60 LPG cylinders.