THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Two years have passed since the City Corporation announced its plan to set up an electric crematorium at Kazhakkoottam, but sadly the project is yet to make any headway. The Corporation’s announcement came after much public demand for opening an electric crematorium for the benefit of those in the northern parts of the city. ‘’The Corporation has gone back on its promise. The project was first announced in the 2011-12 budget. It has again found place in the current budget, but not a single step has been taken till date,’’ says Kazhakkoottam councillor R Sreerekha. The project has been proposed at the existing public crematorium on the Kazhakkoottam - Menamkulam stretch. The crematorium now functions without any staff and the funeral or burial, as the case may be, is performed by those bringing bodies. On an average, around three funerals or burials are held a day, the councillor said. ‘’It is pathetic that the relatives of the departed are put to hardship for the funeral. Its high time the Corporation found a remedy for this,’’ says Sreerekha. Deputy Mayor G Happykumar says that the project was under the active consideration of the Corporation. ‘’This year, we have earmarked ` 50 lakh for the project. The work will start once the 12th Plan Fund is sanctioned,’’ he says. However, the Deputy Mayor admitted that the allocated fund was not sufficient. ‘’The project will be implemented in phases and funds will be sanctioned accordingly,’’ he adds. The delay in the implementation of the project has invited criticism from various quarters. ‘’The Corporation is doing injustice to the people of the northern parts of the city by delaying the project,’’ says FRAT general secretary Paraniyam Devakumar. ‘’As the project is situated near the National Highway, it will also be useful for those in the suburbs. Also, the electric crematorium is a welcome project as environment pollution would be nil,’’ he adds.
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