A ‘grave’ need finally met. Burying your pets in the backyard of your house or a corner of the garden will soon become passé as pet owners will now be able to give a dignified farewell to their pooches. The South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) is coming up with Government’s first dog crematorium which will be running on a green waste management plant in Dwarka Sector 22. The land has finally been allotted and the tender has been floated for the upcoming crematorium.
Around 100 dogs can be cremated daily, which is expected go up by 150 a day. “While the dog owners bury their pets in the garden, carcasses of street dogs decompose and this, in turn, spreads diseases. This crematorium will help people bury the dogs in a dignified manner,” said RBS Tyagi, Deputy Director, Veterinary Services, SDMC. “Even the ashes will be given back to the dog owners as per their request,” he added.
As per the Horticulture Department, around 20 tonnes of refused dried fuel is generated on daily basis from trees and forests. Of the total, 10 tonnes of RDF will be used for cremation purpose.“We will use the RDF with the help of green waste management plant to cremate the carcasses. Woods and other necessary items will also be provided which includes van services,” Tyagi said.
While the project will be submitted to standing committee by next week, the crematorium is expected to be ready within next eight to nine months.“The tender has been floated for this upcoming project which was a major hurdle in the progress. Now things have eased out and the project will further proceed,” said Mukesh Yadav, SDMC Public Relation Officer. The land has been allotted for the project which measures nearly 4 acres. While the area allotted for the dog crematorium measures 2 acres, another 2 acre has been charted out for the green waste management plant.
“When pets die, people look for a place to bury them. After having spent nearly 15 years with them, they develop affection for them. But then they are out of option. This initiative is a good step and more crematoriums should come up,” said Mohit, a dog lover.
However, the charges for the cremation have not been decided yet. “The charges will be decided after a meeting with the corporation and the Standing Committee,” said RBS Tyagi, deputy director, veterinary services, SDMC.