Planning it dead right to earn carbon credit

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Mumbai: If the civic body’s plan to have an “eco-friendly green cremation system” is anything to go by, then burning of wood in such crematoriums will come down by around 70%. This will also help India earn precious carbon credits.

In an endeavour to reduce the emission of carbon dioxide (CO2) through the burning of wood, the United Nations Development Programme has tied up with the Union ministry of environment and forests and appointed the Delhi-based Mokshada Parya-varan Evam Van Surakhsa Samiti to set up eco-friendly funeral pyres in 30 major cities across the country. Mumbai will have 10 such crematoriums.

The BMC has short-listed five crematoriums — at Haines Road in Worli, Swarg-dwar in Bandra east, Bhoiwada in Parel, Sion, and Charai in Chembur — for the project. “These crematoriums were selected on the basis of the number of bodies disposed and the availability of space for installing the eco-friendly pyres,” said Dr GT Ambe, joint executive health officer, BMC.

The green crematorium system is based on the principle wherein a raised container will allow circulation of air to fan the flames and capture particles in a chimney filter.

Ambe said Mokshada will install the pyres free of cost. “They will maintain it for 20 years and the carbon credits will be used by them. BMC will save on money and wood,” he said. Ambe added that while a traditional pyre consumes 300-400 kg of wood to burn a body, the eco-friendly system will consume only 100 kg.
He pointed out that four eco-friendly pyres have already been installed at the Jogeshwari crematorium.

“The crematorium was affected due to the road-widening project but will become operational by March 31,” he said.