The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) is set to establish a carcass incineration plant at Palasuni to dispose of the carcasses of small animals, including street dogs. This initiative aims to address the challenges associated with the current burial method.
Daily Carcass Management
On average, the BMC handles at least 10 stray animal carcasses per day, which are currently buried. Debi Prasad Kund, in charge of the BMC’s Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme, stated that the decision to build the incineration plant was driven by public opposition to animal burials near residential areas.
Incineration Process
“Except for cattle, all small animal carcasses will be disposed of using incineration, offering a safe, effective, quick, and environment-friendly solution. A plot of land has been selected at Palasuni for the plant. There are no current plans to reuse the ash generated from the incinerator,” Kund explained. He added that this facility is similar to the gas-based crematorium the BMC has built for humans. The corporation will hire a private party to operate and maintain the plant under specific conditions.
Benefits of Incineration
BMC officials highlighted that the incinerator will reduce time and costs while simplifying disposal. “Currently, we bury carcasses after the health wing lifts them. However, incineration is less cumbersome and more cost-effective. Construction is underway, and machinery will be installed soon,” a BMC official said.
Urban Challenges
The officials noted that disposing of stray dog and cattle carcasses in urban areas is challenging, as burial is not a long-term solution and requires ample space. “Many Indian cities have electric crematoriums for stray animals. In Odisha, Bhubaneswar will be the first to set one up. The government supports innovations and modern methods for animal carcass disposal,” the official added.
Specialized Vehicles
Additionally, the BMC plans to procure three specialized vehicles to collect abandoned carcasses. Currently, when reports of abandoned carcasses are received, sanitary workers in the area lift them using pushcarts or tricycles, a time-consuming and hazardous process. One vehicle will be allocated to each of the three BMC zones.
