First PNG-based crematorium in state

Bijendra Ahlawat

Growing pollution and the desperate need to save the ecology have perhaps forced some socially aware individuals and organisations to experiment with new ideas which could help on this front. Dr OP Bhalla Foundation run by the Manav Rachna educational institutions have got installed a crematorium operated through piped natural gas (PNG) at ‘Swargashram’, the traditional cremation ground near Ajronda village in Faridabad. This is claimed to be the first crematorium in Haryana that will run on gas instead of by using wooden logs. Industry and Environment Minister Vipul Goel had inaugurated it recently.

“This facility has been set up in the memory of late Dr OP Bhalla, an academic who founded Manav Rachna educational institutions in Faridabad. It will not only help in saving trees, but also help in reducing pollution caused by burning of woods or other items at the time of cremation,” Vipul Goel had said while inaugurating it. 

The minister said, “While we are switching to green energy and other methods in order to save the environment, using gas for such a work is also the need of the hour. The ecology is in danger due to rampant and overuse of non-renewable sources of energy in our daily life. The cremation time will be shortened and the bereaved relatives can collect ashes within 90 minutes against 12 to 24 hours earlier. The gas-operated machine used for burning the mortal remains is temperature controlled and cools down quickly”.

The crematorium will have the latest facility to broadcast the process through high definition cameras installed there. The bereaved family members, who are unable to attend the cremation, will be able to watch it on their mobile phones and television sets. For this one has to log in on the IP address —192.168.225.1. The user could use — username as ID and admin123 as password for getting access. However, the user will have to download app ‘gcmob’ from the ‘Playstore’ before using the facility. Those who use i-phones can download app ‘icmob’ from the ‘Playstore’ for the purpose. “This facility could be helpful to NRIs or those family members who are residing abroad or at far off places and are unable to arrive at the time of cremation,” says Prashant Bhalla from Dr OP Bhalla Foundation. Some of Prashant Bhalla’s friends have also contributed to setting up the facility. 

Jitender Bhadana, a social activist, says that the initiative will reduce the demand for wood for cremations and hence many trees can be saved every year.