Kozhikode
Repair works of the electric crematorium of the Kozhikode Corporation at Mavoor Road are progressing and may be completed by Sunday. The crematorium will be functional by Monday, said S. Jayasree, Health Standing Committee Chairperson of the corporation. This would put an end to the uncertainty caused by the shutdown of the crematorium a fortnight ago.
The electric crematorium was being used after the traditional kiln crematorium here was shut down a few months ago to facilitate renovation works. However, the coils of the electric kiln, that were already in a precarious condition, gave in two weeks ago, as a result of which cremation was suspended at the Mavoor Road crematorium for the past two weeks. With the gas crematorium here too already in a state of disrepair, the public had to make use of the facilities in Mankavu, Puthiyapalam and West Hill. This had resulted in protests from the local people at these places, as they were handling work beyond their capacity.
Ms. Jayasree said that the temporary maintenance of the electric crematorium was being done by the firm that had set it up. However, there were complications due to the expiry of the annual maintenance contract with the firm. While the crematorium will be good to go by Monday, it requires a thorough repair soon, for which it will be shut down for two weeks after a few months. Meanwhile, the corporation has set up gas crematoriums at West Hill and Puthiyapalam, which will be opened soon, she said.
At the same time, the elaborate renovation of the Mavoor Road crematorium is under way. The ₹3.3-crore project includes setting up more gas crematoriums on the premises and demolishing the traditional kilns. The project includes facilities for the kin of the departed to carry out the funeral rites, bathrooms to freshen up, and stores that sell funeral materials, besides technology to avoid environmental pollution. A building has been constructed in the first phase of the project while the gas crematoriums come in the second phase.
