LPG-based crematorium @ Coonoor
Rotarians observing the trial run of the LPG-based crematorium near Coonoor on Thursday.Come Sunday (June 24) a long-felt need of the residents of Coonoor and its surroundings will be fulfilled with the dedication of a Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG)-based crematorium.With most of the works connected with the installation of a crematorium having been completed a trial run was conducted on Thursday. Stating that the final touches were in the process of being provided now, the President, Rotary Club of the Nilgiris Ullas Menon told that the facility was a joint project of the Rotary Club of the Nilgiris and the Wellington Cantonment Board (WCB).
Pointing out that it was the first of its kind in the Nilgiris, he said that it was estimated to cost about Rs. 70 lakh. Rs. 38 lakh to 40 lakh have already been expended on putting up the crematorium. The cremator and other facilities would cover about 1.80 acre of the WCB’s cremation ground, the ‘Swarga Bhoomi’.
Assistance had been received from various sources including corporate sector undertakings and philanthropists in the Nilgiris and other places like Coimbatore and Bangalore. Pointing out that much more needed to be done, he said that about Rs. 35 lakh would be required.While an assurance has been given that funds would be provided under the Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme and the MLA’s Constituency Development Scheme, more was needed.
Apart from providing public conveniences, the area has to be levelled and landscaped.To a question, Mr. Menon said that each cremation would approximately cost between Rs. 2,000 and 2,500.Within 90 minutes the relatives of the deceased would get his or her ashes.Stating that the Swarga Bhoomi Crematorium Project would be managed by a 21member trust comprising representatives of the Rotary Club,the WCB and the district administration, the former President of the Club N.K. Devaraj said that creation of a corpus was being accorded high priority since it would enable the trust to extend help to the poor and needy.
The Chairman of the Project Chandru Raju Bettan said that it had been evolved to mark the centenary of the Rotary International which had been celebrated a couple of years ago. It would be an eco-friendly facility and in the long run it would help save many trees. Bodies could be brought from anywhere for cremation at the Swarga Bhoomi.
