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New Delhi: The South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) has approved a proposal for using cow-dung cakes at its cremation grounds based on the belief that “man attains moksha (salvation) through cow”. It has allowed usage of parali (stubble) too for cremation of bodies, according to a report in The Times of India.
The resolution passed unanimously on Thursday states that if implemented, it would help in preventing cow slaughter and reducing environmental damage. The standing committee was considering a preliminary resolution that was sent to it by the special (medical relief and public health) committee on November 9.
The special committee proposal was moved by Nandini Sharma, the councillor from Malviya Nagar, and seconded by Rajiv Kumar, another councillor. The recommendation to the House of councillors through the standing committee states that last rites of bodies at SDMC’s cremation facilities in all 104 wards under four zones be performed through dung cakes along with paddy straw so that “they attain moksha (salvation) because it is mentioned/found in the Vedas that man attains salvation through cow”.
The resolution also claims that while it takes more than five hours for cremation to be completed through wood, a cremation using cow dung cakes needs two-three hours and the amount required is also less. It will lead to less environmental damage at the same time and help in preventing cow slaughter, the resolution argues. “This committee resolves that dung cakes made from dung and paddy straw be used for the cremation at cremation grounds,” it reads.
The proposal will now be taken up by the House in its next meeting for final approval.
A senior corporation official said that while some of the reasons provided for the change might be based on personal religious beliefs, a partial replacement of wood might indeed help in reducing environmental damage. “Pilot projects are already being carried out in many cities like Bhopal and Nagpur to replace firewood used in cremation with gobar kashth (wood-like dry blocks made from cattle dung) and IIT-Delhi had also come up with a similar project a few years ago,” the official said.
The public health departments of the civic bodies estimate that around 80-90,000 cremations take place in Delhi annually. Officials say that if successful, the project may help them in solving the waste management of dairy colonies and will also save lakhs of trees. Around three-four lakh trees are cut for wood to be used annually in the capital’s cremation grounds, as per estimates.
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