Lucknow: Nearly three years after it was first proposed, the Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) has finally issued a work order for setting up an electric crematorium for pets and stray animals. Officials have stated that the facility is likely to be completed within six months.
Project Details
The Rs 2.5-crore project, approved at an executive committee meeting on August 2, 2023, involves setting up a crematorium with two furnaces—one for pet animals and another for stray animals. The facility will be established at the Shivri waste plant. Once operational, it will provide a hygienic and designated system for disposal of animal remains, addressing a long-pending demand of pet owners.
Charges and Capacity
Environment engineer Sanjeev Mishra said, “While stray animals will be cremated free of cost, pet owners will be charged a fee, which is yet to be finalised.” Each furnace will have the capacity to cremate up to 100 animals daily, taking the total capacity to 200 animals. The system will allow simultaneous cremation of up to six animals, reducing waiting time.
Significance
Additional municipal commissioner Arvind Rao noted, “With this initiative, stray animals and pets will receive dignified cremation. At present, LMC buries dead animals. Around 90 to 100 dogs are transported daily from across the city for disposal.” The project experienced delays due to issues such as late allotment of land and contract allotment and implementation.
